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.
[2] 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).
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.
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).
Critics of his declamation style include the composer and author Johann Friedrich Reichardt[5] and the actor and theater director August Klingemann.