The conversation then turned on the condition of the Emperor. The Prince observed: “He has lost in energy and intellectual power, and has thus become more open to improper influences.” I inquired about the Successor, and how the Chancellor now stood with him. “Well,” he said, “quite well. He is more human, so to speak, more upright and modest--his character resembling that of his grandfather and of Frederick William I. He does not say: ‘I have won the battle, I have conducted the campaign,’ but ‘I know that I am not capable of doing it; the Chief of my General Staff has done it, and he therefore deserves his rewards.’ The Most Gracious thinks quite differently. He also cannot tell exactly an untruth, but he will have it that he has done everything himself; he likes to be in the foreground; he loves posing and the appearance of authority. The Crown Princess also is unaffected and sincere, which her mother-in-law is not. It is only family considerations that make her troublesome, formerly more than at present.” “The uncle in Hanover?” I suggested. “No, not so much as the Coburger and the Augustenburger; but she is honourable, and has no great pretensions.” On leaving I said: “If your Serene Highness should want me at any time, and should require anything in which I could be useful, I would beg to be remembered.” He replied: “Well, what I said to you just now about the Free-traders, the National Liberals and Delbrück was intended in that way. Make it public, and I should be glad if you would send me a copy.” I accordingly wrote an article “On the Genesis of the Imperial Chancellor’s Customs Reform,” which was intended to appear in No. 10 of the _Grenzboten_, and sent him a proof for revision on the 28th. It was returned to me in three hours. The Chief had struck out nothing except the following. After the words “when Delbrück retired at this time, owing to the condition of his health,” he crossed out the passage: “and none of his fellow-workers in the department of political economy was capable of replacing him;” as also the word “absolutely” in the phrase: “The Chancellor was absolutely compelled to prepare himself by a thorough study of the facts to take the matter into his own hands.” It would therefore appear that I had actually retained what he had communicated to me, nearly as well as the bitter remarks he had let fall at Versailles.