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of Dresden is famous; and for this occasion splendid additions



had been made both to it and to the orchestra; nothing in its way



could be more impressive; and as a climax came the last honors to



the departed King; when; amid the music of an especially



beautiful chorus; the booming of artillery in the neighboring



square; and the tolling of the bells of the city on all sides;



the royal coffin slowly sank into the vaults below。







On the following morning I was received by the new King。 He



seemed a man of sound sense; and likely to make a good



constitutional sovereign。 Our talk was simply upon the relations



of the two countries; during which I took pains to bespeak for my



countrymen sojourning at Dresden the same kindnesses which the



deceased King had shown them。







During the summer a study of some of the most important



industries at the Dusseldorf Exposition proved useful; but



somewhat later other excursions had a more direct personal



interest; for within a few hours of each other came two



unexpected communications: one from the president of Yale



University; commissioning me to represent my Alma Mater at the



tercentenary of the Bodleian at Oxford; the other from the



University of St。 Andrews; inviting me to the installation of Mr。



Andrew Carnegie as lord rector of that institution; and both



these I accepted。







The celebration at Oxford was in every way interesting to me; but



I may say frankly that of all things which gave me pleasure; the



foremost was the speech of presentation; in the Sheldonian



Theatre; when the doctorate of civil law was conferred upon me。



The first feature in this speech; assigning the reasons for



conferring the degree; was a most kindly reference to my part in



establishing the Arbitration Tribunal at the International



Conference of The Hague; and this; of course; was gratifying。 But



the second half of the speech touched me more nearly; for it was



a friendly appreciation of my book regarding the historical



relations between science and theology in Christendom。 This was a



surprise indeed! Years before; when writing this book; I had said



to myself; 〃This ends all prospect of friendly recognition of any



work I may ever do; so far as the universities and academies of



the world are concerned。 But so be it; what I believe I will



say。〃 And now; suddenly; unexpectedly; came recognition and



commendation in that great and ancient center of religious



thought and sentiment; once so reactionary; where; within my



memory; even a man like Edward Everett was harshly treated for



his inability to accept the shibboleths of orthodoxy。







This reviving of old and beginning of new friendships; with the



hearty hospitality lavished upon us from all sides; left



delightful remembrances。 Several times; during the previous fifty



years; I had visited Oxford and been cordially welcomed; but this



greeting surpassed all others。







There was; indeed; one slight mishap。 Being called upon to speak



in behalf of the guests at the great dinner in Christ Church



Hall; I endeavored to make a point which I thought new and



perhaps usefully suggestive。 Having referred to the increasing



number of international congresses; expositions; conferences;



academic commemorations; anniversaries; and the like; I dwelt



briefly on their agency in generating friendships between men of



influence in different countries; and therefore in maintaining



international good will; and then especially urged; as the pith



and point of my speech; that such agencies had recently been made



potent for peace as never before。 In support of this view; I



called attention to the fact that the Peace Conference at The



Hague had not only established an arbitration tribunal for



PREVENTING war; but had gained the adhesion of all nations



concerned to a number of arrangements; such as international



〃Commissions of Inquiry;〃 the system of 〃Seconding Powers;〃 and



the like; for DELAYING war; thus securing time during which



better international feelings could assert themselves; and



reasonable men on either side could work together to bring in the



sober second thought; that thereby the friendships promoted by



these international festivities had been given; as never before;



time to assert themselves as an effective force for peace against



jingo orators; yellow presses; and hot…heads generally; and



finally; in view of this increased efficiency of such gatherings



in promoting peace; I urged that they might well be multiplied on



both sides of the Atlantic; and that as many delegates as



possible should be sent to them。







〃A poor thing; but mine own。〃 Alas! next day; in the press; I was



reported as simply uttering the truism that such gatherings



increase the peaceful feeling of nations; and so the main point



of my little speech was lost。 But it was a slight matter; and of



all my visits to Oxford; this will remain in my memory as the



most delightful。'7'











'7' The full speech has since been published in the 〃Yale Alumni



Weekly。〃











The visit to St。 Andrews was also happy。 After the principal of



the university had conferred the doctorate of laws upon several



of the guests; including Mr。 Choate; the American ambassador at



London; and myself; Mr。 Carnegie gave his rectorial address。 It



was decidedly original; its main feature being an argument in



behalf of a friendly union of the United States and Great Britain



in their political and commercial policy; and for a similar union



between the Continental European nations for the protection of



their industries and for the promotion of universal peace; with a



summons to the German Emperor to put himself at the head of the



latter。 It was prepared with skill and delivered with force。 Very



amusing were the attempts of the great body of students to throw



the speaker off his guard by comments; questions; and chaff。 I



learned later that; more than once; orators has thus been



entrapped or entangled; and that on one occasion an address had



been completely wrecked by such interruptions; but Mr。 Carnegie's



Scotch…Yankee wit carried him through triumphantly: he met all



these efforts with equanimity and good humor; and soon had the



audience completely on his side。







Returning to Berlin; there came preparations for closing my



connection with the embassy。 I had long before decided that on my



seventieth birthday I would cease to hold any official position



whatever。 Pursuant to that resolution; my resignation had been



sent to the President; with the statement that it must be



considered final。 In return came the kindest possible letters



from him and from the Secretary of State; both of them



attributing a value to my services much beyond anything I would



dare claim。







On my birthday came a new outburst of kindness。 From all parts of



Europe and America arrived letters and telegrams; while from the



Americans in various parts of Germanyespecially from the Berlin



colonycame a superbly engrossed address; and with it a



succession of kindly visitors representing all ranks in Berlin



society。 One or two of these testimonials I may be pardoned for



especially mentioning。 Some time after the letter from President



Roosevelt above mentioned; there had come from him a second



epistle; containing a sealed envelop on which were inscribed the



words: 〃To be opened on your seventieth birthday。〃 Being duly



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;〃
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