| CHAPTER I |
| BIRTH AND ANCESTRY |
| PAGE |
| Birth at Florence—Shore Ancestry—Peter Nightingale of Lea—Florence Nightingale’s Parents | [1] |
| CHAPTER II |
| EARLIEST ASSOCIATIONS |
| Lea Hall first English Home—Neighbourhood of Babington Plot—Dethick Church | [8] |
| CHAPTER III |
| LEA HURST |
| Removal to Lea Hurst—Description of the House—Florence Nightingale’s Crimean Carriage preserved there | [15] |
| CHAPTER IV |
| THE DAYS OF CHILDHOOD |
| Romantic Journeys from Lea Hurst to Embley Park—George Eliot Associations—First Patient—Love of Animals and Flowers—Early Education | [22] |
| CHAPTER V |
| THE SQUIRE’S DAUGHTER |
| An Accomplished Girl—An Angel in the Homes of the Poor—Children’s “Feast Day” at Lea Hurst—Her Bible-Class for Girls—Interests at Embley—Society Life—Longing for a Vocation—Meets Elizabeth Fry—Studies Hospital Nursing—Decides to go to Kaiserswerth | [38] |
| CHAPTER VI |
| FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE’S ALMA MATER AND ITS FOUNDER |
| Enrolled a Deaconess at Kaiserswerth—Paster Fliedner—His Early Life—Becomes Pastor at Kaiserswerth—Interest in Prison Reform—Starts a Small Penitentiary for Discharged Female Prisoners—Founds a School and the Deaconess Hospital—Rules for Deaconesses—Marvellous Extension of his Work—His Death—Miss Nightingale’s Tribute | [54] |
| CHAPTER VII |
| ENTERS KAISERSWERTH: A PLEA FOR DEACONESSES |
| An Interesting Letter—Description of Miss Nightingale when she entered Kaiserswerth—Testimonies to her Popularity—Impressive Farewell to Pastor Fliedner | [68] |
| CHAPTER VIII |
| A PERIOD OF WAITING |
| Visits the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris—Illness—Resumes Old Life at Lea Hurst and Embley—Interest in John Smedley’s System of Hydropathy—Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Herbert’s Philanthropies—Work at Harley Street Home for Sick Governesses—Illness and Return Home | [80] |
| CHAPTER IX |
| SIDNEY, LORD HERBERT OF LEA |
| Gladstone on Lord Herbert—Early Life of Lord Herbert—His Mother—College Career—Enters Public Life—As Secretary for War—Benevolent Work at Salisbury—Lady Herbert—Friendship with Florence Nightingale—Again Secretary for War | [87] |
| CHAPTER X |
| THE CRIMEAN WAR AND CALL TO SERVICE |
| Tribute to Florence Nightingale by the Countess of Lovelace—Outbreak of the Crimean War—Distressing Condition of the Sick and Wounded—Mr. W. H. Russell’s Letters to The Times—Call for Women Nurses—Mr. Sidney Herbert’s Letter to Miss Nightingale—She offers her Services | [94] |
| CHAPTER XI |
| PREPARATION AND DEPARTURE FOR SCUTARI |
| Public Curiosity Aroused—Description of Miss Nightingale in the Press—Criticism—She selects Thirty-Eight Nurses—Departure of the “Angel Band”—Enthusiasm of Boulogne Fisherwomen—Arrival at Scutari | [110] |
| CHAPTER XII |
| THE LADY-IN-CHIEF |
| The Barrack Hospital—Overwhelming Numbers of Sick and Wounded—General Disorder—Florence Nightingale’s “Commanding Genius”—The Lady with the Brain—The Nurses’ Tower—Influence over Men in Authority | [123] |
| CHAPTER XIII |
| AT WORK IN THE BARRACK HOSPITAL |
| An Appalling Task—Stories of Florence Nightingale’s Interest in the Soldiers—Lack of Necessaries for the Wounded—Establishes an Invalids’ Kitchen and a Laundry—Cares for the Soldiers’ Wives—Religious Fanatics—Letter from Queen Victoria—Christmas at Scutari | [140] |
| CHAPTER XIV |
| GRAPPLING WITH CHOLERA AND FEVER |
| Florence Nightingale describes the Hardships of the Soldiers—Arrival of Fifty More Nurses—Memories of Sister Mary Aloysius—The Cholera Scourge | [160] |
| CHAPTER XV |
| TIMELY HELP |
| Lavish Gifts for the Soldiers—The Times Fund—The Times Commissioner visits Scutari—His Description of Miss Nightingale—Arrival of M. Soyer, the Famous Chef—He Describes Miss Nightingale | [171] |
| CHAPTER XVI |
| THE ANGEL OF DEATH |
| Death of Seven Surgeons at Scutari—The First of the “Angel Band” Stricken—Deaths of Miss Smythe, Sister Winifred, and Sister Mary Elizabeth—Touching Verses by an Orderly | [183] |
| CHAPTER XVII |
| SAILS FOR THE CRIMEA AND GOES UNDER FIRE |
| On Board the Robert Lowe—Story of a Sick Soldier—Visit to the Camp Hospitals—Sees Sebastopol from the Trenches—Recognised and Cheered by the Soldiers—Adventurous Ride Back | [192] |
| CHAPTER XVIII |
| STRICKEN BY FEVER |
| Continued Visitation of Hospitals—Sudden Illness—Conveyed to Sanatorium—Visit of Lord Raglan—Convalescence—Accepts Offer of Lord Ward’s Yacht—Returns to Scutari—Memorial to Fallen Heroes | [204] |
| CHAPTER XIX |
| CLOSE OF THE WAR |
| Fall of Sebastopol—The Nightingale Hospital Fund—A Carriage Accident—Last Months in the Crimea—“The Nightingale Cross”—Presents from Queen Victoria and the Sultan—Sails for Home | [217] |
| CHAPTER XX |
| THE RETURN OF THE HEROINE |
| Arrives Secretly at Lea Hurst—The Object of Many Congratulations—Presentations—Received by Queen Victoria at Balmoral—Prepares Statement of “Voluntary Gifts”—Tribute to Lord Raglan | [239] |
| CHAPTER XXI |
| THE SOLDIER’S FRIEND AT HOME |
| Ill Health—Unremitting Toil—Founds Nightingale Training School at St. Thomas’s Hospital—Army Reform—Death of Lord Herbert of Lea—Palmerston and Gladstone pay Tributes to Miss Nightingale—Interesting Letters—Advises in American War and Franco-German War | [252] |
| CHAPTER XXII |
| WISDOM FROM THE QUEEN OF NURSES |
| Literary Activity—Notes on Hospitals—Notes on Nursing—Hints for the Amateur Nurse—Interest in the Army in India—Writings on Indian Reforms | [275] |
| CHAPTER XXIII |
| THE NURSING OF THE SICK POOR |
| Origin of the Liverpool Home and Training School—Interest in the Sick Paupers—“Una and the Lion” a Tribute to Sister Agnes Jones—Letter to Miss Florence Lees—Plea for a Home for Nurses—On the Question of Paid Nurses—Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Nursing Institute—Rules for Probationers | [298] |
| CHAPTER XXIV |
| LATER YEARS |
| The Nightingale Home—Rules for Probationers—Deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Nightingale—Death of Lady Verney—Continues to Visit Claydon—Health Crusade—Rural Hygiene—A Letter to Mothers—Introduces Village Missioners—Village Sanitation in India—The Diamond Jubilee—Balaclava Dinner | [314] |
| CHAPTER XXV |
| AT EVENTIDE |
| Miss Nightingale To-day—Her Interest in Passing Events—Recent Letter to Derbyshire Nurses—Celebrates Eighty-fourth Birthday—King confers Dignity of a Lady of Grace—Appointed by King Edward VII. to the Order of Merit—Letter from the German Emperor—Elected to the Honorary Freedom of the City of London—Summary of her Noble Life In Memoriam | [338] |