He had already ordered a costly frame for the first picture, and expressed his great delight with the painting. The second picture, presumably a copy of the first, he thought, might, after all, have been the original. His friends could not decide which of the two had the greater merit. In order to help make a decision he had the second picture framed, like the first, and for comparison placed both portraits, side by side in their frames. Still he could not come to a decision.
In desperation Wesselhoeft told his man to pack one of the pictures, either one, and send it to his friend Hering in Philadelphia. So I received one of the fine portraits, for a gift, whether the original or the copy, I never knew.
This portrait is one of the valued possessions of the writer, together with the marble statuette of the master by the sculptor Rauenthaler, and also a marvellous portrait of Jenichen, representing him in the act of Potentizing, by hand. Pulsatilla to the 16,000th potency. In addition there is a bronze medallion of Hahnemann in profile by the celebrated French artist David, besides other interesting relics, including a small picture showing the statue of Hahnemann in Leipzig, and portrait of the youthful Hering painted on ivory. Besides these treasure there are letters both from Hahnemann and from his widow. The letters contain fervid invitations to Hering, none too delicately veiled, to come to Paris and become the successor of Hahnemann. The doctor declined, in words not any too friendly., as it would appear from his replies to Madame Hahnemann. He was a windower at the time with two children, Max and Odealia, whom he says he did not wish to be made French, but remain Americans.
Hom. Dispensatory. Henry M. Smith. Henry M. Smith, from New York, came to consult Hering about publishing a Homoeopathic Dispensatory Hering suggested, as part of the plan, to have microscopic cross-sections made from the roots and other parts of plants, for the purpose of diagnosis and identification. Smith favored the idea and promised that it should be carried out but this was not accomplished.
Wine. Blackberry wine can hardly be distinguished from port. Fireflies. In Surinam, in the tropics, thousands of fireflies illuminate the landscape at night; myriads of them sparkle at the same time.
June 28, 1869 Von Tagen. Hering has a visit from Dr. Von Tagen, from Harrisburg, who comes to consult him about his little girl, ill with diphtheria. Von Tagen promises a Harrisburg Tabel for the Fair. Hering said, in conversation with the visitor, If you get wives and children for patients, husbands, if worth having will follow but sometimes the men think if they join our ranks, they will have to give up alcoholic drinks.
July 1, 1869 Balling. Cathedral of clolgne. Banquet. Prophecy. In the evening at the supper table Balling the painter prepared to make a sketch of Hering. The doctor said: So you are about to seal something?
The conversation turns upon a favorite topic, the Cathedral of Cologne. My friend Weigel and I, one morning found ourselved floating down the Rhine to Cologne. I said I wish to see the Cathedral. Weitel said: You are foolish we cannot afford the delay.’ We were on our way to Amsterdam to set sail for South America. We stopped off in Cologne and put up in a boarding- house, temporarily, while visiting that marvel of architecture, the dome. We saw the unfinished edifice with a crane on top of it, and deep mud in the streets all around it, an enormous pile of masonry resembling a grand ruin.
We had a meal at our boarding-house, and latter were invited to a banquet given by the King of Saxony, who was present at the dinner. On the table stood a huge piece of meat like a small mountain, from which the King, with a sharp pointed knife, carved a coneshaped section from which he cut smaller slices, dripping with blood. Weigel claimed that he saw his portion still twitching on his plate. A gravy was served with the meat, the best, I thought, I had ever tasted.
I remarked to the guests that we had come to see the Cathedral. At that time the people on the Rhine preferred to be French rather than German. Some one at the table expressed himself in regard to the dome: Only fools could imagine that anything could be made out of those ruins I stood up and said: I am of that opinion.’ Ho Ho Ho; loud laughter followed this speech.
Toasts were in order. I proposed the toast: The done of Cologne will be finished More loud laughter. A celebrated architect, present at the table said: I have examined the foundations of the structure and have found them thoroughly rotten and decayed.’
I remarked that I had read a different account and again rose to propose a second toast: The dome of Cologne will be completed as surely as Germany will be come united.’ Greater laughter than before greeted this proposition. The architect came over to me and said: I now know whom I have before me. A great satirist I replied: When I again return to Germany the Dome at Cologne will be finished and Germany will be united.’ The answer came: Permit us to laugh.’ This was in 1826.
In later years, when Hering returned to visit his father land, both of his early prophecies had been fulfilled. The Cathedral, with both spires, stood completed, and Germany, under Bismarck, had become united.
Hering, deeply interested in the famous Gothic structure at Cologne, had collected numerous pictures and views of the Cathedral, one of them so large that to be seen in its entirely, it had to be hung out of a second story window into the garden. The large picture of the Dome is made from an original plan drawn by the architect 800 years ago. It is thirteen feet in length. Catholics in this country show no interest in the cathedral in Cologne. They are devoted to the one in Rome which houses the Pope.
History Laws. The French have a saying, Jusque a lamer (all the way to the sae), meaning that they would like to have possession of the Rhine to its outlet into the sea, on both sides. Nemesis will overtake them. Hollanders cannot abide Belgians. World history will run its course. Many have already seen certain laws of history come to fruition. With an understanding of these laws, one can make quite wonderful predictions. Events in history are polarized, have a duality. They strike a balance. Aristotle and Plato came after each other. Prophecies are nothing but logical conclusions. When we observe certain symptoms we expect others to follow, and a prognosis is possible.
Following the above conversation, Hering remarked to Balling, still busy with his sketch: What gave you this idea? You would do better to play on your cello. May I take a pinch of snuff? tow if you like. One will do I have made a preparatory sketch for a portrait if you Dr.Haring, if I have the courage to go on with it. The result was as described on a previous page.
College Days. Expositions.
At school there were three of us, in particular from whom ideas originated. Meyer, whom we named the Rose-red.’ Boehme, and myself, to whom was given the nick name of Buffalo.’ Hard studying was called buffaloing at school. Boehme was tall as a sapling, slim and dry. My specialty was medicine; his, Greek philosophy. Rose-red’ Became secretary to Prince Alabert of England, to whom he gave the idea of opening a World Exposition. Another student, Schambrok by name, was knighted for his discovery of the Victoria Regia, a tropical plant so large that a house had to be built to receive it, the blossom alone being the size of this table (over ten feet long and four feet wide).Seeing this building in London gave Rose-red’ his idea for an Exposition.
The exposition in Paris exceeded, in size, five times the one in London. I am proposing permanent exposition, with kitchens and houses made of iron. Waitresses from all nations, such as were serving beer at the Paris Exposition, are to be excluded as something that mixes up art with things natural. There should be medallions, of gold, for special distribution, as rewards.
soldiers. Napoleon. It should be the care of the Latin nation to improve the souls of its soldiers. Back of the bayonets are heads, back of the heads, human wills,’ said Napoleon.
July 5, 1869
Fourth of july. A Fire. Paintings. The fourth of july, which came on a sunday, was celebrated on the fifth. On the evening of the third some fire-crackers were set off in Hering’s garden, including a penny rocket which lit on the house of De. Koch. two doors away, and started a blaze on the roof. This was done by one of the boys, walter. We ran next door thinking fire was there. In the meantime man from Cherry Street, close by, saw the blaze, came and put it out with bucketful of water. Suspicion fell upon this man’s boys. As yet no revelation has been made.
On Monday evening the family, including everyone from the youngest to the doctor himself, stationed himself on the roof to observe the display of fireworks against a background of dark sky. When it was over we descended to the parlor where there was music, on the cello by Balling the painter, and some duets on the piano by Rudolph and Bertha. There was wine, and conversation from Father Hering, who told us the history of two paintings in his parlor, which were done by two artists, named Koch and Gruenewald. One of the pictures represents a shepherd driving home his flock of sheep through a blinding storm; the other shows the shepherd of another flock which has been brought safely under cover in a cave sheltered from the storm, illustrated by the German proverb: Dr. hat seine Shaefchen ins trockene gebrach (His lambs are safely housed), meaning that his undertakings have been crowned with success. July 6, 1869. The magnetic Telegraph. Morse.
In 1878 and 1879 he published 2 editions of his book, Sunstroke and Its Homeopathic Treatment.
Upon Hering's death in 1880 Knerr became responsible for the completion of the 10-volume Guiding Symptoms.
Dr. Knerr wrote 2-volume Repertory to the Guiding Symptoms,