Gustav Anton
Freiherr von Seckendorff was an offspring of the Gudent branch of the
House of Seckendorff, which had its residence at
Meuselwitz,
Thuringia. Gustav Anton was born at Meuselwitz as the seventh child of Friedrich Carl von Seckendorff (1727-1799), a colonel in the service of the
Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. His brother Adolf Christian (1767-1833), who had a military career, also became known as a writer, and his works are sometimes confused with those of Gustav Anton. After studies at the mining academy of
Freiberg and the universities of
Leipzig and
Wittenberg, he visited the United States in 1796. During his stay in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he married Maria Elisabeth (Betty) Lechler (1782-1858), with whom he was to have fourteen children. From Pennsylvania he reported to the
Neue Teutsche Merkur on the abuse of poor German immigrants (
redemptioners). After his return to Germany in 1799 he entered state service in the
Electorate of Saxony, occupying various positions before he was appointed
Kammerdirektor in the duchy of
Saxe-Hildburghausen (1807). A difference of opinion led to his resignation after seven months. He then decided to devote himself to an artistic and scholarly career. Using the stage name Patrik Peale, between 1808 and 1812 he toured the German speaking world performing as declaimer, mime artist, actor and lecturer, earning praise as well as strong criticism. His wife Betty assisted in some of his mimic or
‘mimoplastic’ productions. In 1812 Seckendorff switched to an academic career. He obtained a doctorate in
Göttingen, where he lectured as
Privatdozent, and in 1814 was appointed Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics at the University of
Brunswick (
Collegium Carolinum). He resigned this post in 1821, and went to the United States to establish himself as a book seller. He died in the summer of 1823 in
Alexandria, Louisiana, reputedly “in poverty and misery”. ==Reputation==