Student Days


Hahnmann had an excellent command over ten different languages like German, Italian, Greek and English….


SUPPLEMENT 7 A LATIN POEM OF HAHNEMANN OF THE YEAR 1775

As a proof of how skilfully Hahnemann had command of the Latin language, the following poem of the twenty-year-old student can be quoted. He was celebrating with it the eminent Professor Zeune of Leipsic.

Mr. Joanni Carolo Zeunio Professori recens creato Vota faciunt tres ejus auditorum Mich. Christ. Justus Eschenbach Johannes Fridericus Eschenbach Christianus Friedricus Samuel Hahnemann, Author.

Quid Cessas hilari Pieridum choro Misceri, Philyrae docta cohors? Age! Celebrate modis hancce diem bonam, Digni Calliope diem.

Alumni, titulos pui debitos diu Jam tandem senior (nobilis o pudor! ) Admittit. Capitum nostrae Academiae Non ignobilium Decus

Penna Fama volans usque agit integra Te Zeuni! Pietas cujus et ingeni Dotes perpoliunt perpoliereque Nostrum nive animum rudem.

Tu recludens opes et Latiae bonus Et Grajae, juvenum languida melleo Minervae recreans munere pectora Formas et Patriae et Deo

A.D. XX. Septembris MDCCLXXV Lipsiae, Ex Officina Buttneria.

To M. Johann Karl Zeune, Professor, From three of his audience.

Mich. Christ. Justus Eschenbach, Johannes Friedrich Eschenbach and Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, Author.

(English translation by M.L.W)

Why waitest thou, Phylyras clever band? Mix with the Muses happy choir Up rejoice to-day with gladness All ye pupils worthy of Calliope.

This festive day, to him who only just has granted (O noble modesty)! His praise to sing Which long belonged to his age and worth What better ornament could our school have found!

Yet Zeune! on mighty wings shall fame Be swiftly carried into all distant parts.

He who through piety and mental vigour The icebound spirit in us melts and moves Thou knowest well how to disclose The treasures of Rome and Hellas Strengthening the weak boy’s bosom With sweet gifts from Minerva Thou buildest and workest for Country and God.

SAPPHO — ODE.

Hahnemann had also acquired an unusual fluency in Greek.

Three years later he translated one of Sappho’s odes for his patron, the Governor of Transylvania, Baron von Brukenthal, and reproduced the Ode in German. This translation gives early evidence of the cleverness of expression and delicacy of feeling, of the twenty-three-year-old youth.

DEO TUTELARI @ D.N. SAMUELIS L.B DE @ BRUCKENTHAL @ SACRUM @ C.F.S. HAHNEMANN @ V.S.L.M. @ @ A.D. VII KAL, SEPT. @ Kal(endas) Sept (embre)

Deo tutelari d(omini) n(ostri) Samuelis l(iberi) b(aronis) de Bruckenthal Sacrum C.F.S. Hahnemann v(otum) s(olvit) l(aetus) or l(ibicus) m(erito a(nte) d(iem) VII= septimum

In English:

His holy vow to the Patron Our Lord Samuel Baron von Bruckenthal has F.S. Hahnemann herewith gladly and in a seemly way fulfilled, on August 26th.

His writing, ” From the Sublime, ” in Chapter X comprises the ” Ode of Sappho ” handed down by Longinus. The poetess describes, in this song, the condition into which she falls at the sight of her beloved. Longinus quotes the poem as an example of the sublime, which is built up by throwing into relief and grouping together the main points of view of the object. As an annotation to this he says:

It is not admirable how the poetess groups together soul and body, hearing, speech, sight and colour — everything, however different — and by uniting the opposites, alternatively growing cold and then coming into a warm glow — losing the senses and returning to consciousness — trembling and being very near to death– she produces not one violent emotion but a conflict of emotions.

The original text here corresponds with the knowledge of the language in those days. In copying, a few important errors have crept in, and several expressions have been used here which no longer apply to Sappho. Also definition by withdrawal of the accent has not been considered as, according to Lesbi ( and generally for Aeolic – Asiatic ) it should be. The German imitation is most probably Hahnemann’s own work. Even to-day it is correct in spite of a different punctuation in Greek, and is a proof of deep, intuitive feeling, which throws a fine light on the human side of Hahnemann as a physician. The mode of expression resembles that of recent date, especially when we read in verse 4, instead of the old-fashioned “quaked,” something like “trembled,” and in verse 9 instead of “quite shaken,” something like “deeply stirred.”

SUPPLEMENT 8

BARON BRUCKENTHAL’S ENTRY INTO THE STATE SERVICE OF TRANSYLVANIA, AND THIS RELATIONS WITH THE EMPRESS MARIA THERESA.

In March, 1753, Bruckenthal came to Vienna as ambassador of his country. Transylvania at the time was striving for two Secretaryships in the Government, one for Protestant Hungary and the other for Catholic Szeckler. The ambassador, Bruckenthal, had from the outset some favourable connections: Emperor Franz I, the husband of the Empress Maria Theresa, was a freemason and also a keen coin collector. Bruckenthal had already a fine collection of coins which he now respectfully presented to his Imperial “brother.” Through another event he became personally acquainted with the Empress Maria Theresa. Mr. Csaki narrates that in an address ( Hermannstadt, printed and published by Krafft, 1903):

It had come to Maria Theresa’s knowledge that there was a lodge of freemasons in Vienna. As she had no correct conception of the nature of this society, and rather suspected them of bad intentions, she at once gave orders to the officer on guard, when she heard that the whole company was assembled, to have them all arrested, not knowing that her own husband belonged to the lodge. The officer carried out his task and arrested ‘those who were present, among them magnates, generals and also Bruckenthal. The officer overcame his natural respect for the Consort of the Empress and requested him to give up his sword; but he was repulsed with the words which later became proverbial; “Stand away three feet from my body; I shall report myself to the Empress.” In this connection, the name Bruckenthal came for the first time before her notice.

Bruckenthal’s intercession for the institution of the two secretaryships was not only successful for his country, but he himself received one of the posts; and henceforward he was, although a Protestant and a freemason, much envied, and therefore violently attacked by a wide circle for being a favourite of the strictly Catholic Empress Maria Theresa. He not only obtained for his country all that he desired from her, but also received rich gifts for himself.

Regarding the way in which Bruckenthal talked to the Empress, Csaki tells:

orders had already been prepared for Transylvania; the Saxon community was to become fiscal property and this concerned Konigsboden, which, according to ancient rights, was only to be inhabited by Saxonians; the revenues from the “Allodia” estates were to be paid into the “fiscus” and this was only awaiting confirmation from Vienna. An application had also been submitted to the Empress for the confiscation of a tenth in Saxony. When Bruckenthal, at the request of the Empress, had examined the application in order to report top her, he, being aroused by the obvious injustice, did this with his habitual candour; and concluded with words unheard of in Court etiquette: ” If you Majesty do what the Court Chamber here desires, you are committing the greatest injustice you ever committed in your whole reign.”

SUPPLEMENT 9

HAHNEMANN’S ADMISSION TO THE MASONIC LODGE

The index of the Brothers of the Masonic Lodge ” St. Andreas zu den drei Seeblattern” contains the following:

Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, born at Meissen in Saxony in 1755. Status: Candidatus Medorrhinum and Librarian to S.E. the Governor. Religion: Protestant. Admitted to First Degree, 16th October, 1777.

The index of the Brothers forms an appendix to Ferd. von Zieglauer’s history of the Masonic Lodge “St. Andreas zu den drei Seeblattern,” published in Hermannstadt 1767-1790, in the archives of the Society for historical knowledge of Siebenburgen. N.F., Vol. XIII, p. 62ff,: Hahnemann’s name is to be found on p. 66 under No. 41.

SUPPLEMENT 10

S. HAHNEMANN’S THESIS

has the following title: Conspectus adfectum spasmodicorum aetiologicus et therapeuticus

Quem dissertatione inaugurali medica summi numinis auspicio Almae Friderico -Alexandrinae Rectore magnificentissimo serenissimo principe ac domino Domino Christiano Friderico Carolo Alexandro Marggravio Brandenburgico Borussiae Silesiaeque duce rel. Burggravio Norimbergensi utriusque principatus rel. rel

ex decreto gratiosae facultatis medicae pro gradu doctoris Legitime obtinendo publico eruditorum examini submittit Samuel Hahnemann Misena Saxo D.X.Aug MDCCLXXVIII.

Erlangae Typis Ellrodtianis.

English.

Summary of the conditions of cramp according to cause and cure, submitted as inaugural essay, by consent of the Friedrich – Alexander University, under the Rectorate of His Serene Highness the Prince and Sovereign, Christina Friedrich Karl Alexander, Margrave of Grandenburg, Duke of Prussia and Silicia, for the rightful purpose of gaining the degree of doctor in the Medical Faculty, by a public examination by an Academic Board.

Richard Haehl
Richard M Haehl 1873 - 1932 MD, a German orthodox physician from Stuttgart and Kirchheim who converted to homeopathy, travelled to America to study homeopathy at the Hahnemann College of Philadelphia, to become the biographer of Samuel Hahnemann, and the Secretary of the German Homeopathic Society, the Hahnemannia.

Richard Haehl was also an editor and publisher of the homeopathic journal Allgemcine, and other homeopathic publications.

Haehl was responsible for saving many of the valuable artifacts of Samuel Hahnemann and retrieving the 6th edition of the Organon and publishing it in 1921.
Richard Haehl was the author of - Life and Work of Samuel Hahnemann