Itmaybesafelysaidthat，atanygivenmoment，heknowsdirectly，orwillshortlyknow，thepersonandworkofeverymaninhisempirewhoisreallytakingtheleadinanythingworthyofspecialstudyorcloseattention。TheGermancourtisconsideredveryexclusive，butoneconstantlysawatitsassemblagesmennotedinworthyfieldsfromeverypartofGermanyand，indeed，ofEurope。HereinisagreatdifferencebetweentheGermanandRussiancourts。If，duringmyofficiallifeatSt。Petersburg，I
wishedtomaketheacquaintanceofamannotedinscience，literature，orart，hemustbefoundatprofessorialgatheringsacrosstheNeva。Herarely，ifever，appearedinthethrongofmilitaryandcivilofficialsattheWinterPalace。ButatBerlinsuchmentookanhonoredplaceatthecourtamongthosewhomtherulersoughtoutandwasgladtoconversewith。
Astotheworldoutsidetheempire，Idoubtwhetheranyothersovereignequalshiminpersonalacquaintancewithleadersineveryfieldofworthyactivity。Itwasinterestingfromtimetotimetolookovertheofficiallistsofhisguestsatbreakfast，orluncheon，ordinner，orsupper，oratmilitaryexercises，oratthetheater;fortheyusuallyembracedmennotedincivil，ecclesiastical，ormilitaryaffairs，inliterature，science，art，commerce，orindustryfromeverynation。Oneclasswasconspicuousbyitsabsenceatallsuchgatherings，largeorsmall;namely，theMERELYrich。Richmentherewere，buttheywerealwaysmenwhohaddonesomethingofmarkedvaluetotheircountryortomankind;forthemere\"fattytumors\"ofthefinancialworldheevidentlycarednothing。
AspecialcharacteristicintheGermanrulerisindependenceofthought。Thisqualityshouldnotbeconfounded，asitoftenis，withmereoffhanddecisionbaseduponprejudicesorwhimsies。Oneexample，whichIhavegivenelsewhere，maybeherereferredtoasshowingthathisrapidjudgmentsarebaseduponclearinsight:
hisOWNinsight，andnotthatofothers。OnmygivinghimnewsofthedestructionoftheMaineatHavana，heatonceaskedmewhethertheexplosionwasfromtheoutside;andfromfirsttolast，againsttheopinionsofhisadmiralsandcaptains，insistedthatitmusthavebeenso。