Volume I Part 34 (2/2)

Having finished her Meale sent it to Mr

Gladstone She knearm had been the friendshi+p between hiht that in the friend who reht perchance come true: _uno avulso non deficit alter_ At any rate it was her duty to throw out the hint So she underlined, as it were, the closing words of her Paper by offering to talk with Mr Gladstone about the unfinished hich, as she kneas nearest to Sidney Herbert's heart To this overture, Mr Gladstone replied in a letter, giving account of his friend's funeral:

(_W E Gladstone to Florence Nightingale_) 11 CARLTON HOUSE TERRACE, _Aug_ 10 [1861] The funeral was very sad but very soothing Simplicity itself in point of forathered together, and especially fro: not one unconcerned face as home more and more the immense void that he has left for all who loved, that is for all who knew, hiht with profound interest your ih for me to handle Like you I know that too much would distress hinorant of military adue

It is your knowledge and authoritycreature that can do him justice, at the proper time, whenever that eration, without defrauding others I shall return the paper to you: but of it I venture to keep a copy

With respect to youryou to exercise your own discretion after si this much; my duty is to watch and control on the part of the Treasury rather than to promote officially departest: I a the same liberty with Sir G Lewis, especially new to his work On the other hand, my desire to proer than ment as an administrator (If I now seem reluctant to touch that subject it is for fear I should spoil it) In the conduct of a department he seeeneration--I reale, Very sincerely yours, W E GLADSTONE

On the afternoon of November 28, in Willis's Rooms--in the same place where, in the same month six years before, Mr Herbert had spoken in support of awas held to promote a memorial to him ”I think you would have been satisfied,” wrote Mr Gladstone to her on the sae, with the tone and feeling of the ards Herbert As respects yourself, you ht have cared little, but could not have been otherwise than pleased I made no allusion to you in connection with the paper you kindly sent h I made some use of the materials I acted thus after conference with Count Strzelechi,[295] and with his approval I thought that if I uilty of the assuale's Paper, su Lord Herbert's services to the health and comfort of the British Army, formed, indeed, the staple ofalliance between the chapters in this Me General Sir John Burgoyne said breezily that Lord Herbert's ”hobby was to promote the health and coale, who had for many years devoted herself to the same pursuit” Mr Gladstone mentioned as Lord Herbert's ”fellow-labourer” the ”naale, a name that had become a talisman to all her fellow-countrymen” And Lord Pal the Commander-in-Chief with the late Minister for War, added that ”they did not labour alone

They were not the only two; there was a third engaged in those honourable exertions, and Miss Nightingale, though a volunteer in the service, acted with all the zeal of a volunteer, and was greatly assistant, as I ahness will bear witness, to the labours of your Royal Highness and Lord Herbert”

[295] Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelechi, KCMG, CB, known as Count Strzelechi, Australian explorer, of Polish descent, though a naturalized Englishreat friend of Lord and Lady Herbert, whom he had accompanied on their last journey abroad

He took a pro the Herbert Meust 1867) entitled _Memorial to the Late Lord Herbert_

III

The alliance which was dissolved by Lord Herbert's death is probably unique in the history of politics and of friendshi+p ”As for his friendshi+p and ale, ”I doubt whether the saain”[297] For five years the politician in the public eye, and this woman behind the scenes, were in active co-operation; often seeing each other daily, at all times in uninterrupted communication There have been other instances in which the sa has happened, but happened with many differences There have been statesmen who have made confidantes of their wives, and who have found in them wise counsellors and helpful supporters Sidney Herbert himself received much help in his public work from his wife, to whos about her friends, Miss Nightingale records a beautiful trait; Sidney Herbert made it a rule, she says, tosome neork of kindness towards others Yet there was roo the Cri constant counsel from another woman--so constant as, perhaps, in the days of his illness and over-work to cause his wife soale was as dear to the wife as she was helpful to the husband, and affectionate friendshi+p between her and Mrs Herbert was not iain, and many other eminent men, who have found inspiration or support, no less than solace or pleasure, in the friendshi+p of woale, and hers to him, were on a plane by themselves

She, indeed, was susceptible, as was every ular charm and courtesy; she admired the brilliance of his conversation; she felt pleasure in his presence And he, with his quick perception, must have enjoyed the ready huale's wisdoues even as ale said to an old friend, ”that my character would be more sympathized with by men than by women In one sense I don't choose to have that said

Sidney Herbert and I were together exactly like two men--exactly like him and Gladstone”[298]

[297] Letter to Harriet Martineau, September 24, 1861

[298] Letter to Madame Mohl, Dec 13, 1861

The secret of this rare friendshi+p between Sidney Herbert and Miss Nightingale is to be found, first, in the fact that the character and gifts of the one were precisely couine temperahtingale, though of an e force She supplied inspiration which he had theinto political action Sidney Herbert had the political ale, the administrative Not indeed that he was deficient in soifts, or she in political instinct But as peculiarly characteristic of her was the coeneral principles with a complete command of detail; and in the particular work in which they were engaged, her experience supplied what he lacked ”I supplied the detail,” she said herself; ”the knowledge of the actual working of an army, in which official ht”[299] Each was thus indispensable to the other And they were united by perfect syhtingale of Sidney Herbert, ”with every possession which God could bestow to make him idly enjoy life, yet ran like a race-horse his noble course, till he fell--and up to the very day fortnight of his death struggled on doing good, not for the love of power or place (he did not care for it), but for the love of mankind and of God”[300] He was, ”in the best sense,” she wrote elsewhere, ”a saver of ale deserves an equal place with her friend

[299] Letter to Harriet Martineau, Sept 24, 1861

[300] _Dublin_ (Bibliography A, No 28), p 8

[301] _Herbert_ (Bibliography A, No 29), p 3

PART IV

HOSPITALS AND NURSING

(1858-1861)

The everyday e ward, let alone of a hospital, the knohat are the laws of life and death for men, and what the laws of health for wards (and wards are healthy or unhealthy norance of the nurse), are not these matters of sufficient i by experience and careful inquiry, just as much as any other art?--FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE: _Notes on Nursing_

CHAPTER I