Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-18
EIorence Nightingale.

L dIh, lio" poh't W
SHIRE, in England.
"As it has been freque atly stated in the
British public prints, that Miss Nightingale
numbers the same years with the Queen of
England, and As that royal LAZY pIayfulIy
entered her age in the list, at the time the
census was taken Of the population of Great
B-t.in, it would be no infringement OF dis
erection t. place the period of Miss Nishtin-
gales birth somewhere about the year 1919;
bat one authority stirms that she was born
ut Florence in the year 1923, and received
b n Christian name In mem ry OF that fair
Italian city. 1t is well known, also, that she
is a young lady Of singular endowments.
both natural and acquired. She posses es u
knowledge of the ancient languages, and OF
toe higher branches Of mathematics; while
ner at.ainDeuts in general art, science and
literature are Ut no common order. Her
command of M dern languages is extensive,
a d she speaks FIench, German, aud Italian
huently as her native English. She has Wis
tied aud studied the ~varions nations of Eu-
rope, and has a-cended tn, Nile to It's farth-
est cataract. While 10 EYE t she tended the
sick Arabs with whom she came 10 contact;
and it was frequently 10 her power, by judi
cious advice, to render IN In important ser
vices. Graceful, feminine, rich, and popu-
lar, her influence over those With whom she
comes 10 contact is powerful as 1t Is gentle
aud persuasive. U:r friends and acqualn-
taucss embrace a large circle, and Include
persons Of all classes and persuasions; but
her happiest place has ever been her home,
where, IN the centre ot numerous dIstin.
,-;.hai .alotiyaa md in tina sinplpEt Dhp-
dience to her admiring parents, she dwoit.
Yet this was the lie she leit--a life not
only blessed With all that renders existence
privileged, but with all that makes 1t useful
To Others, tine dearest of all privileges to
her nature)-.o tulft a self imposed duty.
1T was uecuuee she fell the sphere OF her
utility TO be even larger than the one afford
ed by her afiuent home, that she gave ny
lnat home. From infancy she had a yearo-
Jog affection for her kind sympathy with
the weak, the oppressed, the destitute, the
suffering, and the desolate. The schools and
the poor around Lei Hurst and Embley first
saw and lie I her as a visitor, teacher, copsC-
Ter, and expounder. Then she trequented
and studied the schools, hospitals, ami reior
matory institutions Of London, Edinburgh,
and the Continent. Ii 1851, whom the who:e
civilized world bad a holiday during the
Great Exhibition, and were engaged 10 par
ties of pleasure, Miss nightingale was with
10 the walls OF one OF tue German houses, or
hospitals for the care Of the lost and lnhrm.
At the Great Lutheran Hospital, establishe !
at Kaiserwertn, near Dusse!do t, on tie
Rhine-an establishment out OF which no
person. is allowed to pass to practice as u
nurse except after having gone through St
we're ex.mination-M IS Nightingale speut
some months 10 daily aud nightly atten-
dance on the sick and miserable, accumuiat-
ing experience in all the duties and labors oil
female miuistrston. The gentleman at the
head Of shat establishment, the Pastor Filed
ner, asserted that since he ha been director
Of that institution, no one bad ever passed
so distinguished 40 examination, or shown
herself as Thoroughly mistress OF all she had
to Iearn, as Miss Nightingale.
On her return to England, she Tor a space
became agaiu the delight OF Der own happy
home; but it was not long before her desire
t. extend her aid to those who needed relief
prevailed 10 bring her forth. The ho'pitai
established 10 London for sick goverhesseS
was about to iail Tor want Of proper nan!ge-
ment, and Miss Nightingale consented to be
placed at its head. Derbyshlrs and Hamp-
shire were exchanged for the narrow, dreary
establishment in Harley street. to which she
devoted the whole OF her time and fortune.
While her friends missed her from the assem-
blies, lectures, concerts, EXHIBITIONS, ana all
the entertainment for taste and intellect with
which LJndon in its season aDOun1s, she
whose powers could have best appreciated
them was sitting beside the bed ana soothing
the last complaints of some poor, dying
homeless, hapless governess. Miss Nighun-
gale found pleasure in tending these poor,
destitute women in their ,ntirmiues, Their
sorrous. their deaths, or their recGveFles.-
She was seld M seen out Of the walls OF tne
institutions; aud the few friends whom she
admitted found her in the midst OF nurses,
letters, prescriptions, accounts, ana interrup
tons. Her health sunk under the heavy
pressure. but Il little Hampshire fresh air
restored her, aud the failing constitution was
saved.
We DOW CONE to the particulars OF her
Joining the Army:
Then came the disastrous accouuts OF the
sufferings in the East, Of the additional
| rigors that the soidiery were enduring from
want of ~efectual hospital treatment, ana
from defective management 10 supplying
stores and necessary rellet. ohe
of the chief poiuts IN which the deficiency
of proper comfort ard rei'et tor the SICK ana
wounded sufferers was felt, was the want OF
good nursing. To send out a band OF skill
ful nurses was soon found to be one OF the
most essential OF all supplies. But upless
these were really skilled, m"re harm than
yond would certainly accrue; zeal, WITHOUT
ex1 eriencs, could effect little; and a beyy OF
inoompetent or iil-Jrganized nurses would
pro,e az incumbvance, instead Of an assis,
lance. Now it va that a fed was opened
for the wider exercise of Miss Nightingale ;
genius aud philanthroIy y; and now 1t was
that Ler admirable abinties were secured ,'r
this great obj ct in view. = Inc
tax was one which involved sacrifices and
RESPONSIBILITIES of formidable magnItnd -
| the risk of her own life, the pang ui separ"-
ton from her family and friends, the Ger
/ tainty of eucountering bardsh'ps, dangers
and tolls, and the constantly recurring scenes
of human suffering amidst the worst horrors
or var. together With an amount I'll Ons'ac'e
and difficulty in the carrying ou' oI "eF nc
bic work wholly iucalculable' re" ou'
w,uld have recoiled frOm such a prospect
Miss Nightingale, however, met 1t VITA her
own spirit of welcome for occasion 10 Te'o!'
herself in the cau.e Of humanity. liSroic
was The ~firmness with which she voluntarily