The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-11-13

The following letter. from Florence
Nightingale, contains some interesting
reflections, upon the question OF swo-
mans work: .,5, IS lrI...a...ti, stia.5sfa
LoSDoS, September Is, 1858.
To LemuI Moss-My Dear Sir: could
not do what you asked me to do in your
kind letter Of July II, viz, give you ill.,
formation about my own life; though If
could it would be to show how a wo
man OF very OF diniry abiiity has been
led to God-by strange and un1tcus-
toned paths-to do in His service what
he did in hers. Aud If could tell you
all, YOU would see ho,u God has done all
and nothing. l. have worked hard.
very hard-tiiat is all-and have never
refused God anything; though being
naturally very shy person, most OF my
life has been distasteful to me. have
no peeuliar gifts. And | can honestly
assure any young lady. 1t she. will Try to
walk, she viii soon be able to run the
..appointed course But then she
m,ist first learn to walk. and so when
she ruins she must run with patienee.- =
(Most people don't try to walk.1
lst. But woll'd also say to all young
ladies who are called to any peculiar
vocation, qualify yourselves for it rs
man does for his work. Don't think
YOU can undertake it otherwise. NO
one should attempt to teach the Greek
language until he is master OF the ian-
guage, and this he can become only by
hard study. And.
| Cd. If you are called to mans work.
do not exact a woman's privileges-the
privilege of inaccuracy, of weakness, ye
muddl .heads. Submit yourselves to
the rules of business, rs men do, by
which aloi,e you can make Gods ousl-
ness succeed; for He has aever said that
lie will give His success and His blessing
to incfIiciency, to sketching, and uniin-
| ished work.
Sd. 1t has happened to me more than
| once to be told by women (your conn
tiywomen,) "Yes, but you had personal
| freedom. Nothing can well be further
from the truth. I question whether
God has ever brought any one through
more difficulties aud contradictions than
| | have had. But imagine these exist
| less among you than among us, so VIII
say no more.
4th. But to all women | would say,
look upon your work, whetherit be an
accustomed or an unaccustomed work,
as upon a trust confided to you. This
will keep.you alike from encouragement
and from presumption, from idleness
and from everlasting yourself. Where
God leads the way lie has bound Him
self to help you to go the way. -
I have been nine years confined q
prisoner to my room from illness, and
overwhelmed with business. llad |
more faith-more of the faith which 1
protest. should not say "overwhelm-
cd for it is all business sent me by
God. And | am really thankful to him,
though my sorrows have been deep and
many. and he still makes me toldo his
business.) s. Is -. bslay. s,
This must be my excuse for not hav-
irg answered your questions before.
Nothing with the approval ofmy own
Judgment has been made public, or |
would send it. | have a strong objec-
ito 10 sending my own likeness for tie
same reason. Some of the most vallia-
BILE works the world has ever seen we
know. not who is the author OF; we only
know that God is the author OF all. !
do not urge this example upon others;
but it is a deep-seatcd religious scruple
in my self do not wish myname 70 re-
main, nor my likeness. That God alone
should be remembered l wish. .aiu
I'll could really give the lesson OF my
| llLc 10 NY COuietJ "o'i''th "''Nf :, 49,
(indeed, fiain look upon us asall one
nation) the lessons of any mistakes as
we'll as of the rest l would; but fol-
this there is notime. I.woilG only say
work-work in silence at first, In ST.
lence tor years-it will not be time
: wasted. Perhaps in all your life it will
| e the time you will afterwards find tt
have been best spent; and it is very GER
tain that without you will be no work.
cr," but only botcrin the service p
God. aiif -rI.# ~ .5 II 4g4f.t,
Pray believe me, my dear. sir, will
great truth, ever your faithful servant.
#s..sI..a !. FLORENCE NlGBTINGALE. t
Have you read Bakers. "Sourees o
the Nile,r where he says he was moro
like a donkey than an explorer? Thai
is much my case, and believe is that Q
all who have to do, any unusual work
And / would especially guard youns
ladies from fancying themselves IKE la
DIV superiors, with anobsequious follow
,, ing of disciples, if they undertake any
great work. i .H-I.t,- a55H h.taI