The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-09 00:00:00

Tft E IT N, , ()NEON,

LITERATURE.

The Autobiography of Elizabeth Davis, a Balaclava
• Nurse. Edited by Jane Williams, author of "A
Memoir of the Rev. T. Price," &c. 2 vols.
Hurst and Blackett.
These volumes contain the history of a very re-
markable woman, who has visited many countries,
and seen much of life, who has met with some sin-
gular adventures, and always shown herself equal
bo the emergency. She was the daughter of Dafydd
Cadwaladyr, a well known Welsh dissenting mig-
ster, and from an early age manifested au unusual
independence of spirit and decided temper. She
was anxious to see the world, so left home and
entered service, and filled various places' of trust
for many years, visiting the East and West Indies,
China, and Australia. She had numerous offers
of marriage from inhabitants of all parts of the
world, but having lost her first love by death, she
refused all others. She saved a large sum of money
which was lost in an unfortunate speculation, and
having had much experience of sickness she applied
to join the band of military nurses who went to the
East. This part of her experiences, though it gives
the title to the b,ok, only occupies part of the se-
cond volume, and it is with this part that some,
fault may jestly be found. Doubtless Elizabeth
Davis is in many respects an admirable woman,
and the testimonials to her services in the Crimea
given in the appendix are quite sufficient tes'i-
mony to the value of her services ; but the
tone of prejudice which throughout pervades
her tone in speakieg of the management of
the nurses, and especially its all that concerns Miss
Nightingale, is much to he regret'ed. Mrs. Davis
evidentiy took a prejudice against that lady before
she saw her, and therefore everything that was mis- I
managed in hospital affairs, the stores that were
lost when men were dying of need, the illness that
was aggravated by the want of proper remedies,
are all set down to her account. It would be folly
to suppose that Miss Nightingale's arrangements
were perfect, that she made no errors or mistakes
in such a trying position, rendered still more per"-
plexing from official mismanagement. But to speak
and write of her as Mrs. Davis and her editor have
done is neither just nor reasonable. Mrs. Davis
plainly hints that she made herself comfortable
while neglecting others. If such had been her ob-
ject, it would have been more easily attained nearer
home. Profit there was none, and even Mrs. Davis
cannot accuse her of seeking fame or popularity.
The extreme retirement she has kept in since her
re'urn effectually precludes such a suggestion. The
readers of this hook, much as they may admire
Mrs. Davis's unflinching honesty and indefatigable
spirit, will find quite enough in the earlier record
of her life to guard them as to their judgment on
the latter portion. With an undoubting truthful-
ness, she did not hesitate to "speak her mind," in
true Welsh ftshion, to master, mistress, or the
Great Mogul himself if she met him. She confesses
she always " cherished a very high opinion of
my own goodness, and I was more especially proud
of my honesty and truth." She never owned her-
self in the wrong • and on one occasion, when her
mistress had offended her, refused to stay in her
service unless she begged 'her pardon on her knees.
It will be easy, to understand that such a temper al
this did not bend very easily to military discipline,
and was more inclined to command than to
obey. Doubtless such a character was most
valuable in the Crimea. There an energetic spirit
and disregard of rules was only too scarce ; but it
is plainly seen that if the plans recommended in
the appendix had been adopted, of different% ranks
of nurses, Mrs. D tvis would not have put up with
a seconrank. She was established as cook in the
kitchen at Balaklava, and proved herself most
valuable by her unwearied personal exertion. It
is with regret that we learn that she is left at pre-
sent unprovided for. An address is furnished, and
doubtless many will gladly give a tribute to her ser-
vices. The earlier portion of the work is the most
agreab'e. It is full of entertainment. People and
places are described in a manner so quaint and on
ginal, that it would give zest to less exciting in-
cidents. The following is an account of a narrow
escape at sea, in which the heroine's courage was
especially useful :
" We had sternly weather in crossing the Bay of Biscay,
awl afterwards, when we carne to the place where the four
seas meet, the waves, and wind, and thunder, and lighten-
ing, were awful. It was the dead of night, and dreadfully
dark, the glaring blue lightning flashed incessantly across
the ship ; she was going at a rapid rate, all sails set, when
she was taken aback and wont under water as far as the
mainmast. The surgeon rushed down the cabin stairs
crying out, "We are sinking." The people, men, women,
and children, rushed from their berths with horrible sh: ieks,
and crowded the quarter-deck in their night-clothes. Mr,
Pringle, a passenger, took the helm, in his shirt. The
screaming still rings in my ears of those two hundred people
in despair. The captain stood upon the caddy, until the
water washed him off. Ha Lade me take the passengers
from the quarter-deck. They were standing half-naked in
the water. The hatches, had been opened, and the sea
poured in ; there was no leak, the waves came over the
ship. We got the passengers into the caddy, crowding
one over the other in the utmost confusion.
"The foremast and foresail were set on fire by the
lightning. The captain had ordered all hands aloft to take
in the sails; there was great difficulty ;in doing it, and
several of the sailors were struck blind by the lightning.
One man called from aloft in a desperate manner for a
certain rope to be let go; I did not know ono rope from
another, but rushed about the deck, up to my neck in
water in some places, and let go every rope that I could
get hold of. Down came rushing heavily, all the sails at
once, bringing many sailors with them like lead upon the
deck, while the crush of tho canvas and the violent rain
put out the flames.
" Tho ship righted instantly, and Captain Foreman ex-
claimed, Thank God ! the Denmark Hill is saved !' "
All readers of "Chible Harold" will remember
the passage which refers to the following scene :
We came a second time, after several months elapsed,
back to Brussels, and arrived there about two o'clock in the
morning : we were delayed for a draw-bridge to be let
down before we could get to the Queen's Hotel. On the
night of that day there was a ball, and Sir George and
Lady— had tickets, and attended. Their servants, also
had tickets for the gallery to view the scene. The room
was the largest I ever saw in my life. About midnight
orders came for the 10th Hussar officers to march. At that
moment, the dancers were forming all hands round. There
was much confusion, ar,d the party broke up.
" We returned to the Queen's Hotel, and were very dull
and anxious until we heard of the battle of Waterloo.
Five days after it had been fought, we left Brussels on an
excursion to visit the field. It was thickly strewn with
dead bodies. Soldiers were carrying them into corners,
and laying them together. Many persons were there
searching among the killed for their friends. Broken bayo-
nets, and other things, were scattered about."
On one occasion she was living as housekeeper to a
lawyer in the city, and an amusing incident oc-
curred :
"One day, when an important cause was comine. on, -a
parcel of papers had been sent from Mr. G—'a :Meet to
Lord Brougham, but one was forgotten, and Mr. G—,
hastily recollecting it, bade me run with it instantly, and
deliver it very carefully.
"I went, and was shown into a room where I saw a per-
son whom I took to be a clerk. I gave the packet into
his hand, and told him to be sure to give it to his master.
"He nodded his head, and said quietly, I dare say I

" I was provoked at his taking it so easy, and said to
him, You sulky old fellow, I'll tell your master. Look
at the paper. It is of great consequence, Mr. G- says,
and you must look at it.' I would not rest until he did
so, and then I went away.
" Mr. G- told me afterwards that itwas Lord
Brougham himself ; who IVA 3 so pleased with my faithful-
ness about the paper, that he gave Mr. G half a sove-
reign to give me for my impudence.'"
The following is a sample of her abrupt manner of
settling affairs of moment :
"As to my proposed marriage, it ended as my former
engagement had done.
" One day 11--- asked me whether I had told my sister
Bridget that I had consented to marry him. She was then
living in London, in a place which I had procured for her.
I answered, ' No.' We had a dispute about it, and quar-
relled, and broke off the match. -
"He wrote to me afterwards, and sent a friend to try
and make it up again ; but I refused to have anything
more to do with him.
" I left Mrs. It-- on a Thursday, and went that same
evening to Queen's Terrace, Brompton ; and there, at the
house of a French count, I agreed with his sister-in-law,
Mrs. to enter her service, and to wait upon her and
her child to the West Indies and back.
"On Friday, Mrs. R-- sent after me ; and, although
my rate of wages had reached thirty pounds a year, sbe
said she would not hesitate' to give as much more as I
chose to ask, if I would only return to her.
"This it was no longer in my power to do."
She was instrumental in capturing several thieves,
and was accustomed to much exertion. She had
the health and strength, as well as the vigour of
character so ofi en met in hardy mountaineers. She
filled the place of nurse at Guy's Hospital
for some time, and afterwards nursed private
patients, but not liking this so well as service,
she took another place and lived next door to
Lord Raglan. Here is an account of her first re-
solve to go to the East.
"I had from my early childhood a dislike to soldiers ;
and this dislike was aggravated by the cruel conduct of
the sentries in India who prevented the young widow's
escape from the suttee.
" After having been abroad, I always liked to know
what was going on the world, and this curiosity made me
an eager reader of the newspapers. Sitting one evening
with my sister, I read in one of them an account of the
battle of the Alma.
"'Oh !' said I, `if I had wings, would not I go ?'
" ' What,' answered Bridget, go to be a soldier ? Well,
I can believe anything, if you have changed your mind
about them.'
" I did not want to be a soldier, but to see what was
going on, and to take care of the wounded.
" Then again I read ofMiss Nightingale preparing to
take out nurses. I did not like the name of Nightingale.
When I first hear a name, I am very apt to know by my
feeling whether I shall like the person who bears it."
She kept to this impression and refused to like any-
thing connected with her, though she appears to
have met with a fair share of consideration and
kindness. She was not much disposed toisubrnit
to superintendence.
" One day about twelve o'clock, which was the dinner
rime, Mud Nightingale And her maid Mlle is from the