The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-31 00:00:00

THE NIGHTINGALE FUND.

We have been requested to publish the following
correspondence :
"30, Old Burlington-street, March 23.

"Dear Mr. Herbert,—l have been for some time
hesitating as to the course I ought to take with regard
to the large fund which is called by my name, and which
was so generously placed in my hands for the purpose
of bein2 applied to a most useful and beneficent object.
"Aft, r allowing a time to elapse fully sufficient for
forming a judgment .I find my health s,► much impaired,
and I am, con.equently, so unequal to begin a work
which. to be properly performed, will require great ex-
eau), ot,id um:sawing attention, that I feel it incumbent
upon me and due to the contributors to beg you to com-
municate to the trustees and council my inability to
undertake the task.

" This communication is very painful to make, for I
hoped, by my exertions in tho work proposed to me, to
mark my deep sense of the confidence reposed in me,
and I looked forward to the attainment of an object
which has always been nearest to my heart.
" But I ,trongly feel that its realisation ought not to
be indefinitely pos'poned, nor a large sum intended for a
benevolent purpose to be allowed to lie useles; because
.m iftcapacitated by illness from undertaking its ap.
plication.
I must therefore, under these circumstances, ask
you and the council to consider in what way the objeots
umtemplated by the contributors may now best be
effected.—l remain, dear Mr. Herbert,
" Most faithfully and gratefully yours,
" FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
" The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P."

" 49, 80lgrave-square March 26.
" Dear Miss Nightingale,— Immediately on tke re.
ceipt of your letter I summoned a meeting of the council
and the trustees of the Nightingale Fund, at which
meetlng your letter resigning your trust was read.
" I need not tell you with how much sorrow that let-
ter was received.

" We we. e, however, unanimous in the hope that, for
the reasons I am about to state, you will take further
time before you come to any final decision on the subject
of your letter.
"The object of the contributors to the fund was two.
fold. They wished to see established some organisation
for the training of hospital nurses. They wished to
supply a great and acknowledged deficiency in our medis
cal system whether civil or military, and they knew
that they could intrust the task to no one so experienced
or so capable as yourself.
" But they wished likewise to mark in a manner per.
sonal to yourself their sense of the services rendered to
the country by you and by those who acted with you ;
and they felt that they could offer you no proof of this
respect more gratifying than tee proposal of a fresh
task to be undertaken and fresh work to be done.

"They were aware that you among others were as-
sisting in furthering great changes in the sanitary and
medical organisation of the army ; and till that task was
accomplished, they were quite content to postpone the
commencement of whatever plane you might originate or
adopt for the objects to whieh the Nightingale Fund
was to be devoted.

" We have seen some of the results of the labours on
behalf of the army to which you have contributed. We
trust that a short time will witness their completion, and
that you will have the gratification of seeing the fruits
which they will bear. When this time arrives we can-
not but trust that with diminished laboar you will regain
your health, and that without undue fatigue or exertion
you will be enabled to give a general superintendence to
the plane you may devise for the application of the fund.
" in the meanwhile the money, though unspoiled, is
not idle. It it well invested, and therefore increasing
by the accumulation of interest, and the delay will be
partly compensated by the enlarged means which will
ultimately be at your disposal.
" Should, however, our anticipations be too sanguine,
end eiiould your health not ba eutticiently restored to
enable you personally to undertake the government of
any institution that may be founded, still we ahould
earnestly desire to act upon plans devised by you and
to adopt the organisation which, under happier oircinn-
tanc•-s, you would yourself have created.
" We are satisfied that, next to your personal supe-
rintendence, the con'ributors would most desire that
your mind and intention should animate the work, even
though its execution should fell upon other,.
" I am, theref ire, desired by my colleagues to ex-
Dress their earnest hope that you wil. postpone your
final decision until further time shall enable you to
judge what degree of superintendence you will be en.
abl-d to bestow on the work which is identified with
your name, and which we still earnestly hope will derive
its organisation from your hands.—pray believe me,
most faithfull your, " SIDNIST HEBBIIRT.
" Miss Florence Nightingale."

" 30, (Yd Burlington-street, March 27.
" Dear Mr. Herbert,—lt would indeed be impossible
or me t refuee a proposal which expresses so kindly the
generous confidence of the council and trustees, and
which leaves open to me the opportunity—if, unexpec-
tedly to inyself, my health should make it possible—of
attempting to forward the objects most interesting to
mo.

"I believe that you will be willing to assure the coun-
cil and trustees that I will work if I can, and when I
can. It is a great relief t ) me to have your assurance
that they are aware that hitherto it has been impossible
fur me to do anything in this work, and that they will
be to fJr some time to come,—how long it is not in my
p-wer to say. The fear that I might appear to neglect
a trust eliminated to me weighed heavily on my mind,
and the great uncertainty as to my ever being able to
fulfil it induced me to request that I might be allowed
to reliequi..h it.
" But I beg to leave the matter entirely in your hands
as proposed by you ; and I have only to repeat my
thanks to you and the council for the heartfelt pleasure
afforded me by your confidence and good wishes.
"I beg that you 8 ill believe me, dear Mr. Herbert,
" Ever moat faithfully yours,

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
"Tbeltight Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P."

Country Markets.

LEEDS—MA.Boa 30.

There is a good show of wheat fresh up this morning,
which meets a fair sale at Friday's full rates. Barley is
also very plentiful, and best sorts diffiealt of sale, while
inferior are neglected. Beans steady. Other articles nn•
changed.

Averages for the week :
Wheat, 44s lOd Oats, 25s 3.1 d I Peas, 46s 91d.
I Barley, 36s 7d Beans, 39s 41 1 Rye, -^ll Od.
NE WCASTLE—MARoa 30.
Our market this morning was poorly attended, and in
wheat a short supply. In South country and foreign snore
offering. Trade heavy, and former prices scarcely obtain.
ed. Flour a drug., Barley not quite so brisk. Oats are
steady at full rates. Beans quiet, and peas scarce and
much wanted.
NORWICH CATTLE—MARca 27.

There was a small show of store cattle to-day, but
buyers were not numerous, and only a limited business
was done.
Fat beasts, 7s to 7s 6d ; prime, 8s Od per stone ; being
about same al last week. Sheep, 42s to 44s per head, and
good store pigs 15s to 255. Fat pork, 6s to 6s 6d; prime,
bs 6it per stone of 141bs.

BIRTHS.
BALroun—On the 29th inst., at 20, Wilton-street, Bel
grave-square, the wife of Commander C.. 1. Balfour
R. N., of a daughter.
FRANCIS—On the 29th inst., at Cambridge, the wife of

_
Clement Francis, Esq., of a eon.
VEREKER—On the 27th lest., at 10, Warwiok-square, the
Hon. Mrs. Vereker, of a son.

MARRIAGES.
GILBEY—CROSBIE —On the 29th inst., at St. Thomas's
Church, Winchester, Mr. Alfred Gilbey, of 357, Oxford-
street, London, to Agnes, second daughter of Mr. Wm•
Crosbie, of Winchester.
MALTBY —BUTTERFIELD—On the 29th inst., at St.hfares,
Islington, Mr. Ttioulas Maltby, of Islington, to
widow of the late S. B. W. Butterfield, Esq•

DEATHS.
BOUGHTON—On the 28th inst., Ed.ward Oakley, only son
of A.tiuo .oughton, Eiq., of the StocK Exchange, and 2, Palk-place, Maze-bill, Greenwich, aged 16 months.
FORBES—On the 29th inst., atlkin-place,
squats, Bartholomew Forbes, Esq., aged 88.
Foy—On tho 28th inst., at 4, Park-road, Clapham-road
Miss Foy.
the infant ohild of
Linfort—On the 27th inst., Florence
Mr. Mark Lemon.

V.,1)/ine,.lli : Printed sad PubIiAIITA by ILURDO 'YOUNG,
of e. 112, Strand, Erin ter, at The San Wine, lie.
112, strand, in the Precinot a the Savoy, in the comfy
of bliddloglos, WctineslaY. March 31, 1855.