492 
After the termination of his military 
career, which ended with the seven 
years’ war, General Zieten lived twenty- 
six years in the ful] enjoyment of all the 
honour and glory which he had so ar- 
duously earned: 
“* His sovereign continued studiously atten- 
tive to distinguish him by fresh marks of his 
esteem, his friendship, it may almost be said, 
his veneration. ‘The princes of the blood were 
eager to imitate the example of Frederick. 
Henry, Ferdinand, the presumptive heir to 
the crown, thought themselves honoured by 
the zeal they shewed to do justice to the 
merits of Zieten. The court, the strangers 
that visited Berlin, equally admired the at- 
tention which was etd to thts hero by 
those whose birth and rank were so far above 
his own; and, it was a fine spectacle for the 
whole country, to see the subject so noted 
and caressed by his master, and by the family 
of his king. 
«« These distinctions, for which Zieten was 
indebted to his merits only, were no longer 
imbittered by envy. His enemies had dis- 
appeared, and among the witnesses of his 
ory he could only reckon applauders and 
iends. His countrymen in general, whe- 
ther in civil or military eapacities, whether 
inhabitants of towns or villages, esteemed 
him, cherished him, and looked upon him as 
a father, revered him as a hero, and consi- 
dered themselves in some degree as partakers 
of his glory.” 
The pleasure which Zietenexperienced 
on returning to his favourite villaat Wus- 
trau, after the perils of seven long cam- 
paigns, was heightened by a circum- 
stance which did great honour to the 
Swedish troops. In one of their cam- 
paigns they had penetrated as far as this 
village, when hearing that it was the 
property of Zieten, who was thew waging 
war against them and their allies, they not 
only refrained from touching any thing 
that belonged to him, but manifested the 
high respect they bore him, by placing 
sentinels before his house, examining his 
portrait with admiration, and by many 
other flattering attentions. 
The general now went to Carlsbad 
for the recovery of his health: the inha- 
bitants of every town he passed through 
gave him the most honourable reception, 
and testified, by the most unequivocal 
evidence, that in his career of victory he 
had treated Saxony and Lusatia more 
Vike a benefactor than an enemy. At 
Carlsbad he met Laudohn and several 
Austrian generals with whom he had 
recently fought: Laudohn and Zieten 
became inseparable friends. 
At the age of sixty-five General 
BIOGRAPHY. 
Zieten paid Frederick the compliment of 
requesting his consent to a projected 
marriage: his majesty sent the follow. 
ing answer : 
«« My dear General de Zieten, 
« By your letter of the 4th instant, you 
ask my consent to your marriage with Mlle. 
de Platen. I grant it with great pleasure, 
and wish you all possible happiness on the 
occasion. If ] knew where the nuptials are 
to be celebrated, I should not fail to be with 
you, on purpose to dance with the bride. I 
remain your affectionate king, 
FREDERICK.” 
The following year his lady presented 
him witha son: Frederick came from 
Potsdam to Berlin on purpose to be pre- 
sent at the ceremony of baptism, and 
stood sponsor for the infant, whom he 
immediately raised to the rank and pay 
of a cornet in his father’s own regiment. 
Zieten, however, would never suffer hiny 
to rise, even to the rank of second lieu- 
tenant, till he was of age sufficient to 
do the duties of his station; he res 
peatedly and inflexibly resisted every. 
offer of the royal bounty! 
In the seventy-ninth year of his agey 
Zieten experienced one of the most pains 
ful trials he had ever met with in the 
course of hislife. It was in 1778: the 
Bavarian war had just broke out, and 
the troops had received orders to march ; 
his equipments were ready, and himself 
was prepared, when he was informed 
that the king was going to make the 
campaign without him. No solicitations 
could avail: Frederick peremptorily in- 
sisted that the old warrior should rest 
from his fatigues. When the regiment 
left Berlin, he took leave of his pupils 
and companions, exhorting them in a. 
short and pathetic speech to be mindful 
of what they owed to their country, their 
profession, and their reputation? The 
old man shed tears, nor was the regiment 
less affected on the occasion: in deep 
distress he returned to his home after 
their departure, and after a long silence 
and with a deep sigh exclaimed—“ Alas, 
I have now nothing to do but raise a re- 
giment of women !” 
«« At length he could no longer bear to 
reside in Berlin: he went to Wustrau, but 
unaccompanied with the ardour and acti-: 
vity which had hitherto attended him there. 
He caused several tables to be placed toge- 
ther in his dining-room, covered them with 
the best maps he could procure of the theatre 
of the war, and passed whole hours in péring 
overthem. In a short time, he began toy 
recover his former tranquility of mind, be- 
