The Trinity times., 1855-01-20
Who IL Miss NightinanIes

has been so frequently asked, in regard t
the noble and heroic lady who has recent
gone from England with a corps of nurses, t
minister to the wants, and pallate by sooth
ing attentions the suferings, of the sick AM
wounded in the hospitals of the Allied force
the London Dispatch gives the following
answer:
Miss Nightingale, or rather Miss Florenc
Nightingale, is the youngest daughter ant
presumptve co-heiress Of her father, viii
liam Shore Nightingale of Embey Park
Hampshire, and the Lea Hurst, Derbyshre
She is, moreover. young lady of singular
endowments, both natural and acquired II
knowledge of The ancient languages, anc
Of the higher branches of mathematics, il
general, art, science and literature, her attain
ments are extraordinary. There is scarcely
a-modern language which she does not un
derstand, and she speaks French, German
and Italian as huently as her native English
She has visited and studied the various ma
tions of Europe, and has ascended the Nile
to its remotest cataract. Young, (abont the
age of our Queen) graceful, feminine, rich
and popular, she holds singularly gentle
and persuasive influence over all with whom
she comes in contact. Her friends and &C.
quaintance are of all classes and persuasions
but her happiest place is at home in the Gen.
tire of very large band of accomplished rel
atives, and in simplest obedience to her ad
mirng parents.
Why, then, should being so highly bles-
sed with all that should render life bright in
nocent, and, to considerable extent, useful,
forego such palpabe and heartfelt attractionsl
Why quit all to become a-nurse? 1
From her infancy she has had yearning
affection for her kinda sympathy with the
weak, the oppressed, the destitute, the suf-
fering and the desolate. The schools and
the poor around Lea Hurst and Embley first
saw and felt her as a visitor, teacher. consol-
er, expounder Then she frequented and
studied tho schools, hospitals, and reformato-
ry institutions Of London, Edinburgh and
the Continent. Three years ago, when all
Europe had holiday on and after the Great
Exhibition, when the highlands of Scotland,
the lakes Of Switzerland, and all the bright
spots of tho Continent were filed with par
ties Of pleasure, Miss Nightingale was within
the walls of one of the German houses or hos
pitfalls for the care and reformation of the lost
and infrm. For three long months she was
in daily and nightly attendance, accumulat-
ing experience in all the duties and labors of
female ministration. She then returned to
be once more the delight of her own happy
home. But the strong tendency of her mind
TO look beyond its own circle for the relief of
those who nominay having all, practically
have hnt too ricYuenuy n0lo tO nelp them,
prevailed and therefore, when the hospital
established in London was about to fail for
want of proper management, she stepped for
ward and consented to be placed at its head.
Derbyshire and Hampshire were exchanged
for the narrow, dreary establishment in Har-
lev street. to which she devoted all her time
and fortune While her friends missed her
at assemblies, lectures, concerts, exhibitions,
and all the entertainments of taste and intel
lect with which London in its season abounds,
she, whose powers could have best apprecia-
ted these, was sitting beside the bed and
soothing the last complaints of some poor dy-
ing, homeless, querulous governess. She
was seldom seen out of the walls of the nsti-
tnton, and the few friends whom she admit
ted found her in the midst of nurses, letters,
health sank under the heavy pressure, but a
little Hampshire fresh air restored her, and
the falling institution was saved.
Meanwhile cry of distress and for add
tional comforts beyond those Of mere hospital
treatment came home from the East, from our
brethren in arms. There instantly arose an
enthusiastic desire to answer il. But mex
perienced zeal could perform little, and a
bevy of i'll organized nurses might do more
harm than good. There was a fear lest a
noble impulse should fail for want of head
a heart and hand to direct it, 1t was then
that a field was opened for the wider exercise
Of Miss Nightingae's sympathies, experience
and powers of command and control. But
at what cost At the risk of her own life
at the pang of separation from all her friends
and at the certainty of encounterlng hard
ship, dangers, tolls, and the constantly renew
ing scene of human suffering, and all the
worst horrors of war. There are few who
would not recoil from such realities; but Miss
Nightingale shrank not, and at once accepted
the request that was made her to form anc
control the entire nursing establishment fol
our sick and wounded soldiers and sailors il
the Levant. While we write, this deliberate
sensitive, and hlghly endowed young Iady II
already at her post, rendering the hohest o
woman's charities to the sick, the dying siiC
the convalescent. There is a heroism il
dashing up the heights Of Alma in defiance
of death and all mortal opposition, and let al
praise and honor be, as they are, bestowed
upon it; but there is a quiet iorecasting hero
ism and largeness of heart in this ladys res
olute accumulation Of the powers of consola
ton, and her devoted application Of them
which rank as high and are at least as pure
A sage few will no doubt condemn, sneer at
or pity an enthusiasm which TO them seem
eccentric, or at best misplaced but to tn
true heart Of the country it will speak home
and be there felt, that there is not one Of En-
glands proudest and purest daughters who a
this oment stands on SO high pinnacle a
Florence Nightingale.