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wishing him to order their compositions to be brought out at the
Royal Opera。
All these requests culminated in two； wherein the gentle reader
will see a mixture of comic and pathetic。 The first was from a
person （not an American） who wished my good offices in enabling
her to obtain a commission for a brilliant marriage；she having
in reserve； as she assured me； a real Italian duke whom； for a
consideration； she would secure for an American heiress。 The
other； which was from an eminently respectable source； urged me
to induce the imperial authorities to station in the United
States a young German officer with whom an American young lady
had fallen in love。 And these proposals I was expected to
further； in spite of the fact that the rules for American
representatives abroad forbid all special pleading of any kind in
favor of individual interests or enterprises； without special
instructions from the State Department。 Discouraging was it to
find that in spite of the elaborate statement prepared by me
during my former residence； which had been freely circulated
during twenty years； there were still the usual number of people
persuaded that enormous fortunes were awaiting them somewhere in
Germany。
One application； from a truly disinterested man； was grounded in
nobler motives。 This was an effort made by an eminent Polish
scholar and patriot to wrest American citizenship for political
purposes。 He had been an instructor at various Russian and German
universities had shown in some of his books extraordinary
ability； had gained the friendship of several eminent scholars in
Great Britain and on the Continent； and was finally settled at
one of the most influential seats of learning in Austrian Poland。
He was a most attractive man； wide in his knowledge； charming in
his manner； but not of this world。 Having drawn crowds to his
university lectures； he suddenly attacked the Emperor Franz
Josef； who； more than any other； had befriended his compatriots；
was therefore obliged to flee from his post； and now came to
Berlin； proposing seriously that I should at once make him an
American citizen； and thus； as he supposed； enable him to go back
to his university and； in revolutionary speeches； bid defiance to
Austria； Russia； and Germany。 Great was his disappointment when
he learned that； in order to acquire citizenship； he would be
obliged to go to the United States and remain there five years。
As he was trying to nerve himself for this sacrifice； I presented
some serious considerations to him。 Knowing him to be a man of
honor； I asked him how he could reconcile it with his sense of
veracity to assume the rights of American citizenship with no
intention to discharge its duties。 This somewhat startled him。
Then； from a more immediately practical point of view； I showed
that； even if he acquired American citizenship； and could
reconcile his conscience to break the virtual pledge he had made
in order to obtain it； the government of Austria； and； indeed；
all other governments； would still have a full right； under the
simplest principles of international law； to forbid his entrance
into their territories； or to turn him out after he had
entered；the right of expelling undesirable emigrants being
constantly exercised； even by the United States。 This amazed him。
He had absolutely persuaded himself that I could； by some sleight
of hand； transform him into an American citizen； that he could
then at once begin attempts to reestablish the fine old Polish
anarchy in Austria； Russia； and Germany； and that no one of these
nations would dare interfere with him。 It was absurd but
pathetic。 My advice to him was to go back to his lecture…room and
labor to raise the character of the younger generation of Poles；
in the hope that Poland might do what Scotland had donerise by
sound mental and moral training from the condition of a conquered
and even oppressed part of a great empire to a controlling
position in it。 This advice was； of course； in vain； and he is
now building air…castles amid the fogs of London。
In my life at Berlin as ambassador there was a tinge of sadness。
Great changes had taken place since my student days in that city；
and even since my later stay as minister。 A new race of men had
come upon the stage in public affairs； in the university； and in
literary circles。 Gone was the old Emperor William； gone also was
the Emperor Frederick； and Bismarck and Moltke and a host of
others who had given dignity and interest to the great
assemblages at the capital。 Gone； too； from the university were
Lepsius； Helmholtz； Curtius； Hoffmann； Gneist； Du Bois…Reymond；
and Treitschke； all of whom； in the old days； had been my guests
and friends。 The main exceptions seemed to be in the art world。
The number of my artist friends during my stay as minister had
been large； and every one of them was living when I returned as
ambassador； the reason； of course； being that when men
distinguish themselves in art at all； they do so at an earlier
age than do high functionaries of state and professors in the
universities。 It was a great pleasure to find Adolf Menzel；
Ludwig Knaus； Carl Beeker； Anton von Werner； and Paul Meyerheim；
though grown gray in their beautiful ministry； still daily at
work in their studios。
Three only of my friends of the older generation in the Berlin
faculty remained； and as I revise these lines the world is laying
tributes upon the grave of the last of themTheodor Mommsen。
With him my relations were so peculiar that they may deserve some
mention。
During my earlier stays in Berlin he had always seemed especially
friendly to the United States； and it was therefore with regret
that on my return I found him in this respect greatly changed： he
had become a severe critic of nearly everything American； his
earlier expectations had evidently been disappointed； we clearly
appeared to him big； braggart； noisy； false to our principles；
unworthy of our opportunities。 These feelings of his became even
more marked as the Spanish…American War drew on。 Whenever we met；
and most often at a charming house which both of us frequented；
he showed himself more and more bitter； so that finally our paths
separated。 There comes back to me vividly one evening when I
sought to turn off a sharp comment of his upon some recent
American news by saying： 〃You must give a young nation like ours
more time。〃 On this he exclaimed： 〃You cannot plead the baby act
any longer。 More time！ You have HAD time； you are already three
hundred years old！〃 Having sought in vain to impress on him the
fact that the policy of our country is determined not wholly by
the older elements in its civilization； but very largely by newer
commonwealths which must require time to develop a policy
satisfactory to sedate judges； he burst into a tirade from which
I took refuge in a totally different discussion。
Some days later came another evidence of his feeling。 Meeting an
eminent leader in political； and especially in journalistic；
circles； I was shown the corrected proofsheets of an 〃interview〃
on the conduct of the United States toward Spain； given by
Mommsen。 It was even more acrid than his previous utterances； and
exhibited sharply and at great length our alleged sins and
shortcomings。 Certainly a representative of the American people
was not bound to make supplication； in such a matter； even to so
eminent a scholar and leader of thought； and m