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embassy。 It had been justly thought by various patriotic members
of Congress that it was incompatible； either with the dignity or
the interests of so great a nation as ours； to be represented
simply by a minister plenipotentiary； who； when calling at the
Foreign Office to transact business； might be obliged to wait for
hours； and even until the next day； while representatives from
much less important countries who ranked as ambassadors went in
at once。 The change was good； but in making it Congress took no
thought of some things which ought to have been provided for。 Of
these I shall speak later； but as regards the presentation； the
trying feature to me was that there was a great difference
between this and any ceremonial which I had previously
experienced； whether as commissioner at Santo Domingo and Paris；
or as minister at Berlin and St。 Petersburg。 At the presentation
of a minister plenipotentiary he goes in his own carriage to the
palace at the time appointed； is ushered into the presence of the
sovereign； delivers to him； with some simple speech； the
autograph letter from the President； and then； after a kindly
answer； all is finished。 But an ambassador does not escape so
easily。 Under a fiction of international law he is regarded as
the direct representative of the sovereign power of his country；
and is treated in some sense as such。 Therefore it was that； at
the time appointed； a high personage of the court； in full
uniform； appeared at my hotel accompanied by various other
functionaries； with three court carriages； attendants； and
outriders； deputed to conduct me to the palace。 Having been
escorted to the first of the carriages；myself； in plain
citizen's dress； on the back seat； my escort； in gorgeous
uniform； facing me； and my secretaries and attaches in the other
carriages；we took up our march in solemn processioncarriages；
outriders； and allthrough the Wilhelmstrasse and Unter den
Linden。 On either side was a gaping crowd； at the various corps
de garde bodies of troops came out and presented arms； and on our
arrival at the palace there was a presentation of arms and
beating of drums which； for the moment； somewhat abashed me。 It
was an ordeal more picturesque than agreeable。
The reception by the Emperor was simple； courteous； and kindly。
Neither of us made any set speech； but we discussed various
questions； making reference to our former meeting and the changes
which had occurred since。 Among these changes I referred to the
great improvement in Berlin； whereupon he said that he could not
think the enormous growth of modern cities an advantage。 My
answer was that my reference was to the happy change in the
architecture of Berlin rather than to its growth in population；
that； during my first stay in the city； over forty years before；
nearly all the main buildings were of brick and stucco； whereas
there had now been a remarkable change from stucco to stone and
to a much nobler style of architecture。 We also discussed the
standing of Germans in America and their relations to the United
States。 On my remarking that it was just eighteen years and one
day since the first Emperor William had received me as minister
in that same palace； he spoke of various things in the history of
the intervening years； and then ensued an episode such as I had
hardly expected。 For just before leaving New York my old friend
Frederick William Holls； after a dinner at his house on the
Hudson； had given his guests examples of the music written by
Frederick the Great； and one piece had especially interested us。
It was a duet in which Mr。 Holls played one part upon the organ；
and his wife another upon the piano； and all of us were greatly
impressed by the dignity and beauty of the whole。 It had been
brought to light and published by the present Emperor； and after
the performance some one of the party remarked； in a jocose way；
〃You should express our thanks to his Majesty； when you meet him；
for the pleasure which this music has given us。〃 I thought
nothing more of the subject until； just at the close of the
conversation above referred to； it came into my mind； and on my
mentioning it the Emperor showed at once a special interest；
discussing the music from various points of view； and on my
telling him that we were all surprised that it was not
amateurish； but really profound in its harmonies and beautiful in
its melodies； he dwelt upon the musical debt of Frederick the
Great to Bach and the special influence of Bach upon him。 This
conversation recurred to me later； when the Emperor； in erecting
the statue to Frederick the Great on the Avenue of Victory；
placed on one side of it the bust of Marshal Schwerin； and on the
other that of Johann Sebastian Bach； thus honoring the two men
whom he considered most important during Frederick's reign。
After presenting my embassy secretaries and attaches； military
and naval； I was conducted with them into the presence of the
Empress； who won all our hearts by her kindly； unaffected
greeting。 On my recalling her entrance into Berlin as a bride； in
her great glass coach； seventeen years before； on one of the
coldest days I ever knew； she gave amusing details of her stately
progress down the Linden on that occasion； and in response to my
congratulations upon her six fine boys and her really charming
little daughter； it was pleasant to see how
〃One touch of nature makes the whole world kin；〃
her eyes lighting up with pride and joy； and her conversation
gladly turning to the children。
It may be added here that the present Empress seems to have
broken the unfortunate spell which for about half a century hung
over the queens and empresses of the house of Hohenzollern。 I
remember well that； among the Germans whom I knew in my
Berlin…University days； all the sins of the period； political and
religious； seemed to be traced to the influence of Queen
Elizabeth； the consort of the reigning King Frederick William IV；
and that； during my first official stay in the same capital as
minister； a similar feeling was shown toward the Empress Augusta；
in spite of her most kindly qualities and her devotion to every
sort of charitable work； and that the crown princess； afterward
the Empress Frederick； in spite of all her endowments of head and
heart； was apparently more unpopular than either of her two
predecessors。 But the present Empress seems to have changed all
this； and； doubtless； mainly by her devotion to her husband and
her children； which apparently excludes from her m