When through great danger you boldly did venture,
To soothe the afflicted in the dread Crimea.
No female on earth sure could ever be bolder;
When death and disease did you closely surround,
You administered comfort to the British soldier—
You soothed his sorrows and healed his wounds.
Before her return home Miss Nightingale’s services had been recognised by an influential meeting at St. George’s Hospital, presided over by the late Duke of Cambridge. It was moved by Viscount Chelsea that “Miss Nightingale should be elected an honorary Governor of St. George’s Hospital in testimony of the respectful admiration felt by the supporters of this charity for her self-denial and disinterestedness and her devoted heroism.” The Duke of Cambridge spoke of what he had himself seen of Miss Nightingale’s work amongst the sick and wounded soldiers during his stay at Scutari, and said that her name was revered alike by English, French, Turks, and Russians.
Letters of congratulation and expressions of esteem from all sorts and conditions of people poured in upon Miss Nightingale after it was known that she was settled in her Derbyshire home, and public associations and societies sent deputations. If Florence Nightingale could have been persuaded to hold a reception, it would have been attended by delegates from every representative body in the kingdom; but while such a national appreciation of her labours was very gratifying to our heroine, her chief desire now was to escape publicity, and her enfeebled health made quietude a necessity.
She was specially pleased by an address sent by the workmen of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and replied in the following beautiful letter:—
“August 23rd, 1856.