At one time, he called for a mirror: that is certain:--rugged wild man, son of Nature to the last.
The mirror was brought; what he said at sight of his face is variously reported: "Not so worn out as I thought," is Pollnitz's account, and the likeliest;--though perhaps he said several things, "ugly face," "as good as dead already;" and continued the inspection for some moments.
[Pollnitz, ii.

564; Wilhelmina, ii.

321.] A grim, strange thing.
"Feel mv pulse, Pitsch," said he, noticing the Surgeon of his Giants: "tell me how long this will last."-- "Alas, not long," answered Pitsch.--"Say not, alas; but how do you (He) know ?"--"The pulse is gone!"-- "Impossible," said he, lifting his arm: "how could I move my fingers so, if the pulse were gone ?" Pitsch looked mournfully steadfast.
"Herr Jesu, to thee I live; Herr Jesu, to thee I die; in life and in death thou art my gain (DU BIST MEIN GEWINN)." These were the last words Friedrich Wilhelm spoke in this world.

He again fell into a faint.

Eller gave a signal to the Crown-Prince to take the Queen away.