Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-02-22

est daughter and Iresumptvc c1.heircss oi
her father, William Shore Nightingale, Of
Enbleybatk, Hampshire, and the Lea Hurst |
Dofby shire. She is, moreover, Il young la |
dy vi singular enIowme nts, both natural and
acquired. Ia a knowledge OF the ancient
languages and Of the higher bran ches Of math- |
ems tics, in general art, science. and litcra- |
tnre, her attainmcn:s are extraordinary -
There il scarcely modern language which !
she does not understand, ard she speaks !
French, German, and Italian as furnlly az
her na,irc English. She has visited and itu-
died the various nations Of Europe, and has
ascended the Nile 10 its remotest catnract.-
Young (about the age Of our Queen grace
ful, feminine, rich aud popular, she holds n
singuIa-ly gentle and persLssige influence
over all with whom she comes in contact
Her friends and acquaintance are OF all class. !
es and persuasions, but her happicst place IL !
ut home, in the centre Of avery large band
vi accomplished relatives, and in simplest obe
dience to her adm;rng parents.
Why then should being 80 highly blessed
with all that should render life bright. inno-
cent, and, 10 a considerable eA,eIt useful
forego such ralpaJle ard Ia art-!clt a,trac
tons! Why quit all this to becornc--a
nurse!
From her infancy sic has had a yearning
,ftectiUn for the kind-sympathy with the
weak, the oppressed, tie &c titute, lie SUI
lcrhg, and the desolate. The sc hcos and
the desolate. The schools aud the poor a:
round Lea Hurst and Emblry first saw and
! :elt her as visitor, teacher. consoler ex
FOUNDER. Then she freqnertcd and studied
the schools; hos sftals, ard refJrmatory insti-
tutoas OF London. EInburgh, and the cont-
neut. Three years $50, vixen all Europe
had holiday o' anl after the Great EAh,bi-
ton, when the highlands Of SEQ land, the
lakes o. Switzerland, and all the bright spots
Of the ccntnen: wtse fl led with Parties c!
, pleasure, Miss Nightingal5 was within the
walls OF one of the German houses or husp-
tails for the care and reformation Of the los!
and inlirm:
FIJI three l,ng months she was in daily AID
nightly attendance, accumulating experience
in all the duties AM labors Of female minis
ira,ion. Sac then returned to be once m)re
the delight Of her Own happy honi,. Bu; ihe
strong tendency of her mind to look beyond
its own circl, fpf the relief Of those who
nomtdully have but TOO frequently none TO
help them. prevailed; and, therefore, when
the hospital establishment in Lond n for sick
guternesse. was about to fail for want of
proper management. she stepped forward and
consented 20 be placed at his head. Derby
shire and Hampshire were exchanged ior the
narrow, dreary establishment in Harley street
% which she devoted all ner time and fortune.
While her friends mi 'ed her at assem-
blies, lectures; concerts, exhibitions, and all
;he entertainments for taste and intGIIecl
with which London in lis session ub ound.,
she, whose power conll have best apprecia-
TED these, was sitting beside the bed I'd
soothing the last complaints of some poor,
dying, homeless, auerulous governess. The
homeessness might, not mprobably, indeed
result from that very querulousness; but this
is too frequently iermented, il not created
BY .he hard, unreiecting folly which regards
fellow creatures inirusted with formin. the
minds and disposition of its children inge-
nious, dlragreeuble 'ntchiies, needing, like,
the steam eng ne, sustenance and covering
but, like il, quite beyondur beneath all SYM
pathy, passiUrs, or atfettiois. Miss Night
idgale bought otherwise, and found pleasure
i'll feeding those poor, destitute governesses
in their indrmities, their sorrows, their death
or their recoYeries. She was seldom seen
out Of the walls of the Institution, and the
few friends whom she admitted, found her
in the midst of nurses, letters, ptescrip ptions,
accounts and interruptions. Her hoalth sunk
under tie neavy pressure, but little Hamp-
shire fresh air restored her, and the failing
institution was saved.
Near, hile, a cry of distress and for addi'
tional comforts beyond thJse of mere hospi-
tai treatment came home from tie Etst fol
our wounded brethren in arms. There in-
staEtly arose an enthusiastic desire to an
swer it. But inexperienced zeal could per
form little, and bevy OF ill-orga n'zed nurses
might do more harm than good. There wa:
: fear that II noble impulse should fail for the
want of head, a hand, and heart to direc
it. Ii was then that Il field was opened for
the wider exercise Ui Miss Nightingale's sym
pathies, experience; aud powers of com n tnt
and control. But at What Cost! At the risk
of her own life, at the pang of separation
! from her friends and fdm;ly, and at the Ger
tainty Of encouatering hardship, dangers, ,anj
the constantly renewing scene of human sui
ferng amid all the worst horrors OF war.
There are few who would not recpil
from such realities, but Miss Nightingale
sirauk not,and at once accepted the request
THAT was made TO her tn form and control
,, the entire nursing establishments Tor our sick
and wounded soldiers and sailors in the Le-
vent. While we writr, this delicate, sensi-
tive, ,and highly end wed young lady is AREA
dy at her post, rendering the ho iest OF wo-
mans charities to The sex, and dying, ana
tile cunvalescent. Tle:e is hcruisai in lash
ing up III, heish's Of hlna in de.ilnce o!
death and all mortal opposition, aud let al
) praise oil honor be as they are bestowrl up III
il but there is quiet, iurcastlHg herGisn aud
largeness Of heart in this lady'S resoluc ac-
cumuaiJn of the powers Of con-ol ,tion
and her devoted application of them, which
tank as hig,, and are It last as pure. A
sege few will no doubt cond nm, sneer at, oI
pity an enthu-iIsrn which TO them seems &c
centric, or at b st misplaced; but to the true
haart nf tho cnuuirv il will snsaly hama ant