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opened on the morning of that day； it was found to be even more
heartily appreciative than his former letter； and the same was
found to be true of a second letter by the Secretary of State；
Mr。 Hay； so that I add these to the treasures to be handed down
to my grandchildren。
Shortly afterward came a letter from the chancellor of the
empire； most kindly appreciative。 It will be placed； with those
above referred to； at the close of this chapter。
Especially noteworthy also was the farewell dinner given me at
the Kaiserhof by the German…American Association。 Never had I
seen so many Germans eminent in politics； diplomacy； literature；
science； art； education； and commerce assembled on any single
occasion。 Hearty speeches were made by the minister of the
interior； Count Posadowsky； who presided； and by Professor
Harnack of the university； who had been selected to present the
congratulations of my entertainers。 I replied at length； and as
in previous speeches during my career； both as minister and
ambassador； I had endeavored to present to my countrymen at home
and abroad the claims of Germany upon American good will； I now
endeavored to reveal to the great body of thinking Germans some
of the deeper characteristics and qualities of the American
people； my purpose being in this； as in previous speeches； to
bring about a better understanding between the two nations。
The Emperor being absent in England； my departure from Berlin was
delayed somewhat beyond the time I had fixed； but on the 27th of
November came my final day in office。 In the morning my wife and
myself were received in special audience by both the sovereigns；
who afterward welcomed us at their table。 Both showed unaffected
cordiality。 The Emperor discussed with me various interesting
questions in a most friendly spirit； and； on my taking leave；
placed in my hands what is known as the 〃Great Gold Medal for Art
and Science；〃 saying that he did this at the request of his
advisers in those fields； and adding assurances of his own which
greatly increased the value of the gift。 Later in the day came a
superb vase from the royal manufactory of porcelain； bearing his
portrait and cipher； as a token of personal good will。
On the same evening was the American Thanksgiving dinner； with
farewells to and from the American colony； and during the
following days farewell gatherings at the houses of the dean of
the ambassadors； the secretary of state for foreign affairs； and
the chancellor of the empire； finally； on the evening of December
5； with hearty good…byes at the station from a great concourse of
my diplomatic colleagues and other old friends； we left Berlin。
Our first settlement was at a pretty villa at Alassio； on the
Italian Riviera； and here； in March； 1903； looking over my
garden； a mass of bloom； shaded by palms and orange…trees in full
bearing； and upon the Mediterranean beyond； I settled down to
record these recollections of my lifemaking excursions now and
then into interesting parts of Italy。
As to these later journeys； one； being out of the beaten track；
may be worth mentioning。 It was an excursion in the islands of
Elba and Corsica。 Though anything but a devotee of Napoleon； I
could not but be interested in that little empire of his on the
Italian coast； and especially in the town house； country…seat；
and garden where he planned the return to Europe which led to the
final catastrophe。
More interesting still was the visit to Corsica and； especially；
to Ajaccio。 There the traveler stands before the altar where
Napoleon's father and mother were married； at the font where he
was baptized； in the rooms where he was born； played with his
brothers during his boyhood； and developed various scoundrelisms
during his young manhood： the furniture and surroundings being as
they were when he knew them。
Just around the corner from the house in which the Bonapartes
lived was the more stately residence of the more aristocratic
family of Pozzo di Borgo。 It interested me as the nest in which
was reared that early playmate and rival of Napoleon； who
afterward became his most virulent； persistent； and successful
enemy； who pursued him through his whole career as a hound
pursues a wolf； and who at last aided most effectively in
bringing him down。
After exhausting the attractions of Ajaccio； we drove up a broad；
well…paved avenue； gradually rising and curving until； at a
distance of six or seven miles； it ended at the country…seat of
this same family of Pozzo di Borgo； far up among the mountains。
There； on a plateau commanding an amazing view； and in the midst
of a superb park； we found the rural retreat of the family； but；
to our surprise； not a castle； not a villa； not like any other
building for a similar purpose in Italy or anywhere else in the
world； but a Parisian town house； recently erected in the style
of the Valois period； with Mansard roof。 As we approached it； I
was struck by architectural details even more at variance with
the surroundings than was the general style of the building： all
its exterior decoration presenting the features of a pavilion
from the old Tuileries at Paris； and in the garden hard by we
found battered and blackened fragments of pilasters； shown by the
emblems and ciphers upon them to have come from that part of the
Tuileries once inhabited by Napoleon。 The family being absent； we
were allowed to roam through the house； and there found the
statues； paintings； tapestries； books； and papers of Napoleon's
arch…enemy； the great Pozzo di Borgo himself； all of them more or
less connected with the great struggle。 There； too； in the
library were collected the decorations bestowed upon him by all
the sovereigns of Europe for his successful zeal in hunting down
the common enemy〃the Corsican Ogre。〃 The palace； inside and
out； is a monument to the most famous of Corsican vendettas。
My two winters at Alassio after leaving Berlin； though filled
with deferred work； were restful。 During a visit to America in
1903； I joined my class at Yale in celebrating its fiftieth
anniversary； giving there a public address entitled 〃A Patriotic
Investment。〃 The main purpose of this address was to promote the
establishment of Professorships of Comparative Legislation in our
leading universities。 I could not think then； and cannot think
now； of any endowment likely to be more speedily and happily
fruitful in good to the whole country。 In the spring of 1904 I
returned to my old house on the grounds of Cornell University；
and there； with my family； old associates； and new friends about
me； have devoted myself to various matters long delayed； and
especially to writing sundry articles in the 〃Atlantic Monthly；〃
the 〃Century Magazine；〃 and various other periodicals； and to the
discharge of my duties as a Trustee of Cornell and as a Regent of
the Smithsonian Institution and a Trustee of the Carnegie
Institution at Washington。 It is； of course； the last of my life；
but I count myself happy in living to see so much of good
accomplished and so much promise of good in every worthy field of
human effort throughout our country and indeed throughout the
world。
Following are the letters referred to in this chapter。
FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES。
WHITE HOUSE；
WASHINGTON。
OYSTER BAY； NEW YORK；