“I was twice in training there myself. Of course, since then hospital and district nursing have made great strides. Indeed, district nursing has been invented.
“But never have I met with a higher love, a purer devotion than there. There was no neglect.
“It was the more remarkable because many of the deaconesses had been only peasants (none were gentlewomen when I was there).
“The food was poor—no coffee but bean coffee—no luxury but cleanliness.
“Florence Nightingale.”
CHAPTER VII.
Years of preparation.
Florence Nightingale, like Felicia Skene, had that saving gift of humour which at times may make bearable an otherwise unbearable keenness of vision.
Here, for instance, is her account of the customary dusting of a room in those days (is it always nowadays so entirely different as might be wished?):—