It was during his years as a diplomat that he took a keen interest in collecting books that helped him understand the ongoing Renaissance, the emergence of Protestant movements in Europe, and the rise of powerful colonial empires in Europe.
Pada masa ia menjadi diplomat, ia memiliki minat dalam hal mengumpulkan buku yang membantunya mengetahui Renaisans, gerakan Protestan di Eropa, dan kebangkitan kekuasaan kekaisaran kolonial di Eropa.