Prussia is not skilful to celebrate her Heroes,--the Prussian Muse of History, choked with dry military pipe-clay, or with husky cobwebbery and academic pedantry, how can she ?--but if Prussia can produce heroes worth celebrating, that is the one important point.

Apart from soldiership, and the outward features which are widely different, there is traceable in Winterfeld some kinship in soul to English Chatham his contemporary; though he has not had the fame of Chatham.
Winterfeld was by no means universally liked; as what brave man is or can be?
Too susceptible to flattery; too this, too that.

He is, one feels always, except Friedrich only, the most shining figure in the Prussian Army: and it was not unnatural he should be Friedrich's one friend,--as seems to have been the case.

Friedrich, when this Job's-message reached him (in Erfurt Country, eight days hence), was deeply affected by it.

To tears, or beyond tears, as we can fancy.
"Against my multitude of enemies I may contrive resources," he was heard to say; "but I shall find no Winterfeld again!" Adieu, my one friend, real Peer, sole companion to my lonely pilgrimage in these perilous high regions.
"The Prince of Prussia, contrariwise," says a miserable little Note, which must not be withheld, "brightened up at the news: 'I shall now die much more content, knowing that there is one so bad and dangerous man fewer in the Army!' And, six months after, in his actual death-moments, he exclaimed: 'I end my life, the last period of which has cost me so much sorrow; but Winterfeld is he who shortened my days!'" [Preuss, ii.
75; citing Retzow.]--Very bitter Opposition humors circulating, in their fashion, there as elsewhere in this world! Bevern, the millstone of Winterfeld being off his neck, has become a more responsible, though he feels himself a much-delivered man.