The Life and Letters of Dr Samuel Hahnemann By Thomas Lindsley Bradford, M.D. Presented by Dr Robert Séror

The Life and Letters
of Dr Samuel Hahnemann
By Thomas Lindsley Bradford,
M.D.
Presented by Dr Robert Séror

Chapter 43.

True Pictures Continued

Hahnemann’s

will is now quoted in full. It will be given later on in the present
volume. The author of the “True
Pictures,” whose
name is nowhere given, then continues in regard to this will as follows :

“Yes, noble spirit, this testament is not your work, you knew your
loved ones too well to presuppose any such sentiments in them. As you
yourself did good, as long as you were free, so your daughter and
grandchildren have only done good as long as they lived, and those who are
still alive are still doing good. And how could you have threatened the
children of your

Leopoldine,
who faithfully shared with you storm and sunshine ; how could you have
threatened them, when you were compelled to always think gratefully of
this noble wife, who not only gave you these children, but also gave them
the heritage of her love for you.

‘To the psychologist this authorship may be no secret, but sound
commonsense will see the secret wires at work which put in motion the
powers which originated this testament.

” But we have not the duty of a psychologist but that of a
historian before us, and shall now also walk in the historical pathway,
although a

German
man and a German woman
would be contented with this simple parallel for the formation of a sure
judgment as to the character of the two wives of the great man.

” Let us then conduct the historical demonstration, in which we
need not complain that, as a matter of course, we have only a few official
documents with respect to the domestic circle of activity, of the noble
housewife. For these few will suffice to free her memory from these
slanders.

The most important proof is given by

Hahnemann
himself, in his autobiography (published
in ‘Chr. Fr. Sam. Hahnemann, Biographisches Denkmal,’ Leipzig, 1851),
which he wrote only for his own use, in his quiet privacy, and which was
composed at the very time when he was involved in the most severe
scientific and material conflicts, in the year 1791. The passages bearing
on the subject are :

“‘Yet I then (in

Gommern)
first began to enjoy somewhat more fully the innocent joys of domestic
life, together with the sweetness of employment, in the company of the
companion of my life, whom I married immediately on entering on my office,
namely, Henriette
Kuchler, etc.’

“And, lastly, concerning his stay in Leipsic : ‘Four daughters and
one son, together with my wife, constitute the spice of my life.’

“

Ernst von
Brunnow, the author of
the first French translation of Hahnemann’s
‘Organon of Medicine,’
who had a long acquaintance with Hahnemann
and his family, wrote, according to his own confession, free from all
partisan spirit : ‘Ein
Blick auf Hahnemann und die Homoopathie.’

“In this work he says, on page 30 : ‘

The
family of

Hahnemann
really offered a model of the old German discipline of children. But not
only obedience, but also really the most sincere love of the children
towards their parents could be seen there. In the midst of the amusement,
loving and elegant Leipsic his daughters took no part in any public
amusement, went dressed simply, like the daughters of a mechanic, and
attended to the most menial employments of the household with
cheerfulness.’

“We further call particular attention to the fact that

Hahnemann,
in 1789, gave up his medical practice (see Argenti,
above) and wrote down his acknowledgment, given above, on the 30th of
August, 1791, thus just during the time (see Autobiography) when his wife
and children are said to have set the crown on the misfortunes of the
great thinker. How do you feel, Herr Biographer, as these facts are
compared ?

” What historian of even moderately honest intentions and
scientific spirit can, after these testimonies, put any confidence in the
communications of the

‘Biographie
Universelle ?

And yet, let us bring some further documents from

Hahnemann’s
own family. When Mélanie
had prepossessed the good father against the whole family, his daughter, Frau
Dr. Louise Mossdorf, née Hahnemann,
equa!ly distinguished for her intelligence and her heart, wrote a letter
to her father on November 10, 1834, which is in our possession in a well
attested copy, and which contains a panegyric on her deceased mother that
must move every impartial reader to tears.

It is as follows :

My ardently beloved father, do listen to me !

In recalling my blessed mother and her incomparable traits of character
and her virtues, my heart breaks ! All the virtues of her mind and heart
will make her ever memorable to you.

“‘ That the blessed departed for nearly forty-eight years clung to
you with unchanging fidelity, brought up with you ten children, and this
under the most crushing surroundings, roamed over a great part of the
world with you, and, indeed, pursued by the most dreadful persecutions of
the enemies of Homoeopathy, of all kinds and in thousand fold distresses,
want and care ; that she always willingly and gladly sacrificed the last
penny of her fortune as well as her most valuable jewelry, bedding,
clothing, etc., in order to relieve you and the children from all want,
and to drive away hunger and anxiety ; that she, in every condition gave
you her faithful assistance comforted you and helped you to bear
innumerable sufferings and pains ; in the most deadly diseases offered you
and the children her unswerving aid, and bore the most terrible
persecutions with dignity ; ever inspired the children with the greatest
esteem due to you, and impressed upon them to consider what love and
gratitude they owed to you ; how she ever admonished the children to
everything right and good and to every virtue.

“‘We owe her never-ending thanks, and once more loudly declare it
! Never-ending thanks to her ! All honor to her ! The most fervent love,
affection and true reverence to the dear departed ! Would that all wives
and mothers might faithfully follow her example !

“‘Fantastic and romantic notions she eschewed. She lived only in
the reality, till she at the end stretched out to us her dear hand with
the most impressive maternal admonitions, and several times yet stretched
out her faithful hand to you, which had assisted in guiding you happily
through your life agitated by a thousand storms, and with tears clung to
you with her loving, blessing gaze, and in consequence of her unexampled
fidelity found it so hard to part from you.

What a touching scene. While we yet love on earth and have our complete
consciousness, every thought of it must deeply move us and stir us and can
never, never be extinguished from our thankful heart, if we belong to

God
and hope to be received into His
fatherly arms.

“‘Written November 10, 1834, for a memorial of the dear departed
one.

“‘ Louise.”‘

” According to this letter the departed one was quite the true
woman whom we have characterized above. When on the centenary of

Hahnemann’s
birthday, in the year 1855, his statue was unveiled at Coethen,
the daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren dedicated a poem to
the mother, which, being composed by the daughter Louise,
may here find a place.

“‘ For the celebration of the one hundredth birthday of Samuel

Hahnemann
and the unveiling of his statue in the garden of the Clinic
of Sanitary Councillor,
Dr. Lutze,
on the 10th of April, 1855, the same festive day the remaining daughters,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren sing humbly with truly childlike
love and affection to their mother and grandmother and great-grandmother, Johanna
Henriette Leopoldine Hahnemann, née Kuchler, the following song :

Here follows the song.

(The music of this composition is placed as an appendix to the book,
“Treue Bilder,” the full and complete score being written.)

“So strong was the band of love with which

Johanna
had enfolded her family that the children did not think it right to
celebrate the centenary of their father without proclaiming at the same
time to their mother, twenty-five years after her death, these touching
words of undying love.

“We have numberless other proofs, but we do not use them for fear
that these family testimonials might be suspected of partiality, although
we are so much convinced of their genuine character that we would be glad
to vouch for them with our word.”

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