Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White, vol 2 | Page 6

Frederick; her kindness to me and
mine; conversations; her reminiscences of Queen Vietoria's relations to
American affairs; her funeral.
CHAPTER XLIII
. CLOSING YEARS OF MY EMBASSY. BERLIN, YALE, OXFORD,
AND ST. ANDREWS--1901-1903
Assassination of President McKinley; its effect on German feeling. My
peculiar relations with the Chinese minister at Berlin; our discussions:
my advice to China through him; visits from and to Prince Chun, on his
expiatory errand. Visit to Mr. Andrew Carnegie at Skibo Castle;
evidences of kindly British feeling regarding the death of President
McKinley seen during this English and Scotch journey; life at Skibo.
America revisited; Bicentenary at Yale. Am chosen to honorary
membership in the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin. Interview
with the Emperor on my return from America; characteristics of his
conversation; his request to President Roosevelt on New Year's day,
1902. Emperor's dinner to the American Embassy; departure of Prince
Henry for the United States; the Emperor's remarks upon the purpose of
it. The American "open door" policy; my duties regarding it. Duties
regarding St. Louis Exposition; difficulties. Short vacation in Italy, my
sixth visit to Venice and new researches regarding Father Paul; Dr.

Alexander Robertson. Return to Berlin; visit of the Shah of Persia and
the Crown Prince of Siam. Am presented by the Emperor to the Crown
Princess of Saxony; her charming manner and later escapade. Work
with President Gilman in behalf of the Carnegie Institution for
Research, at Washington. Death of King Albert of Saxony; attendance,
under instructions, at his funeral; impressive ceremonial, and long
sermon. The new King; impression made by his conversation. The
Dusseldorf Exposition. Attendance as representative of Yale at the
Bodleian Tercentenary at Oxford; reception of D.C.L. degree; peculiar
feature of it; banquet in Christ Church Hall; failure of my speech. Visit
to the University of St. Andrews; Mr. Carnegie's Rectoral address;
curious but vain attempts by audience to throw him off his guard; his
skill in dealing with them; reception of LL.D. degree. My seventieth
birthday, kindness of friends at Berlin and elsewhere; letters from
President Roosevelt, Mr. Hay, Secretary of State, and Chancellor von
Bulow. My resignation at this time in accordance with resolution made
years before. Final reception by the Emperor. Farewell celebration with
the American Colony and departure. Stay at Alassio; visits to Elba and
Corsica; relics of Napoleon: curious monument of the vendetta between
the Pozzo di Borgo and Bonaparte families.
CHAPTER XLIV
. MY RECOLLECTIONS OF WILLIAM II--1879-1903
My first knowledge of him, his speech as a student at Dusseldorf; talk
with his father and mother regarding it. His appearance at court;
characteristics. His wedding and my first conversation with him.
Opinion regarding him in Berlin. Growth of opinions, favorable and
unfavorable, in America. His dismissal of Bismarck; effect on public
opinion and on my own view. Effect of some of his speeches. The
"Caligula" pamphlet. Sundry epigrams. Conversation at my first
interview with him as Ambassador. His qualities as a conversationist.
His artistic gifts; his love of music; his dealings with dramatic art.
Position of the theater in Germany. His interest in archaeological
investigation; in education; in city improvements; in improvements
throughout the Empire; sundry talks with him on these subjects. His
feeling for literature-extent of his reading; testimony of those nearest
him. His freedom from fads. His gifts as a statesman; his public and

private discussions of state and international questions: his
thoroughness in dealing with army and navy questions; his interest in
various navies. His broader work; his ability in selecting men and his
strength in standing by them; his relation to the legislative bodies; his
acquaintance with men and things in all parts of the Empire and outside
the Empire. His devotion to work. His clearness of vision in
international questions as shown in sundry conversations; union of
breadth and minuteness in his views; his large acquaintance with men.
His independence of thought; his view of the Maine catastrophe. His
impulsiveness; good sense beneath it; results of some supposed
exceptions. His ability as a speaker; characteristics. His religious views;
comparison of them with those of Frederick the Great and Frederick
William I; his peculiar breadth of view shown in the Delitzsch affair;
also in his dealings with his Roman Catholic subjects; treatment of the
Strasburg and Metz Bishopric questions; his skill shown in the
Jerusalem church matter His theory of monarchy; peculiar reasons for it;
sundry criticisms of him in this respect. Feeling of the German people
regarding attacks on the monarch The whole subject as viewed from the
American Democratic standpoint Thomas Jefferson's letter to John
Adams. The Emperor's feeling toward Parliamentary government;
strength he has given it by sundry appointments. His alleged violations
of the German Constitution; doubts regarding them. His alleged
hostility to the United States during the Spanish War and at other times;