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influence； and her activity into the service of the country at
large。 Her 〃Notes on Hospitals〃 （1859） revolutionised the theory
of hospital construction and hospital management。 She was
immediately recognised as the leading expert upon all the
questions involved； her advice flowed unceasingly and in all
directions； so that there is no great hospital today which does
not bear upon it the impress of her mind。 Nor was this all。 With
the opening of the Nightingale Training School for Nurses at St。
Thomas's Hospital （1860）； she became the founder of modern
nursing。
But a terrible crisis was now fast approaching。 Sidney Herbert
had consented to undertake the root and branch reform of the War
Office。 He had sallied forth into that tropical jungle of
festooned obstructiveness； of intertwisted irresponsibilities； of
crouching prejudices； of abuses grown stiff and rigid with
antiquity； which for so many years to come was destined to lure
reforming Ministers to their doom。 'The War Office；' said Miss
Nightingale； 'is a very slow office； an enormously expensive
office； and one in which the Minister's intentions can be
entirely negated by all his sub…departments； and those of each of
the sub…departments by every other。' It was true； and of course；
at the； first rumour of a change； the old phalanx of reaction was
bristling with its accustomed spears。 At its head stood no longer
Dr。 Andrew Smith； who； some time since； had followed the Bison
into outer darkness； but a yet more formidable figure； the
Permanent Under…Secretary himself； Sir Benjamin Hawes Ben Hawes
the Nightingale Cabinet irreverently dubbed him 〃a man remarkable
even among civil servants for adroitness in baffling inconvenient
inquiries； resource in raising false issues； and； in； short； a
consummate command of all the arts of officially sticking in the
mud'。
'Our scheme will probably result in Ben Hawes's resignation；'
Miss Nightingale said； 'and that is another of its advantages。'
Ben Hawes himself； however； did not quite see it in that light。
He set himself to resist the wishes of the Minister by every
means in his power。 The struggle was long； and desperate； and； as
it proceeded； it gradually became evident to Miss Nightingale
that something was the matter with Sidney Herbert。 What was it？
His health； never very strong； was； he said； in danger of
collapsing under the strain of his work。 But； after all； what is
illness； when there is a War Office to be reorganised？ Then he
began to talk of retiring altogether from public life。 The
doctors were consulted； and declared that； above all things； what
was necessary was rest。 Rest！ She grew seriously alarmed。 Was it
possible that； at the last moment； the crowning wreath of victory
was to be snatched from her grasp？ She was not to be put aside by
doctors； they were talking nonsense； the necessary thing was not
rest； but the reform of the War Office； and； besides； she knew
very well from her own case what one could do even when one was
on the point of death。
She expostulated vehemently； passionately； the goal was so near；
so very near； he could not turn back now！ At any rate； he could
not resist Miss Nightingale。 A compromise was arranged。 Very
reluctantly； he exchanged the turmoil of the House of Commons for
the dignity of the House of Lords； and he remained at the War
Office。 She was delighted。 'One fight more； the best and the
last；' she said。
For several more months the fight did indeed go on。 But the
strain upon him was greater even than she perhaps could realise。
Besides the intestine war in his office； he had to face a
constant battle in the Cabinet with Mr。 Gladstonea more
redoubtable antagonist even than Ben Hawesover the estimates。
His health grew worse and worse。 He was attacked by faintingfits；
and there were some days when he could only just keep himself
going by gulps of brandy。 Miss Nightingale spurred him forward
with her encouragements and her admonitions； her zeal and her
example。 But at last his spirit began to sink as well as his
body。 He could no longer hope； he could no longer desire； it was
useless； all useless； it was utterly impossible。 He had failed。
The dreadful moment came when the truth was forced upon him： he
would never be able to reform the War Office。 But a yet more
dreadful moment lay behind； he must go to Miss Nightingale and
tell her that he was a failure； a beaten man。
'Blessed are the merciful！' What strange ironic prescience had
led Prince Albert； in the simplicity of his heart； to choose that
motto for the Crimean brooch？ The words hold a double lesson；
and； alas！ when she brought herself to realise at length what was
indeed the fact and what there was no helping； it was not in
mercy that she turned upon her old friend。
'Beaten！' she exclaimed。 'Can't you see that you've simply thrown
away the game？ And with all the winning cards in your hands！ And
so noble a game！ Sidney Herbert beaten！ And beaten by Ben Hawes！
It is a worse disgrace。。。' her full rage burst out at last； '。。。a
worse disgrace than the hospitals at Scutari。'
He dragged himself away from her； dragged himself to Spa； hoping
vainly for a return to health； and then； despairing； back again
to England； to Wilton； to the majestic house standing there
resplendent in the summer sunshine； among the great cedars which
had lent their shade to Sir Philip Sidney； and all those
familiar； darling haunts of beauty which he loved； each one of
them； 'as if they were persons'； and at； Wilton he died。 After
having received the Eucharist； he had become perfectly calm；
then； almost unconscious； his lips were seen to be moving。 Those
about him bent down。 'Poor Florence！ Poor Florence！' they just
caught。 '。。。Our joint work 。。。 unfinished 。。。 tried to do 。。。'
and they could hear no more。
When the onward rush of a powerful spirit sweeps a weaker one to
its destruction； the commonplaces of the moral judgment are
better left unmade。 If Miss Nightingale had been less ruthless；
Sidney Herbert would not have perished； but then； she would not
have been Miss Nightingale。 The force that created was the force
that destroyed。 It was her Demon that was responsible。 When the
fatal news reached her； she was overcome by agony。 In the
revulsion of her feelings； she made a worship of the dead man's
memory； and the facile instrument which had broken in her hand
she spoke of forever after as her 'Master'。 Then； almost at the
same moment； another blow fell on her。 Arthur Clough； worn out by
labours very different from those of Sidney Herbert； died too：
never more would he tie up her parcels。 And yet a thirddisaster
followed。 The faithful Aunt Mai did not； to be sure； die； no； she
did something almost worse： she left Miss Nightingale。 She was
growing old； and she felt that she had closer and more imperative
duties with her own family。 Her niece could hardly forgive her。
She poured out； in one of her enormous letters； a passionate
diatribe upon the faithlessness； the lack of sympathy； the
stupidity； the ineptitude of women。 Her doctrines had taken no
hold among them； she had never known one who had appris a
apprendre； she could not even get a woman secretary； 'they don't
know the names of the Cabinet Ministersthey don't know which of
the Churches has Bishops and which not'。 As for the spirit of
self…sacrifice； wellSidney Herbert and Arthur Clough were men；
and they indeed had shown their devotion； but women！ She would
mount three widow's caps 'for a sign'。 The first two would be for
Clough and for her Master； but the third'the biggest widow's
cap of all'would be for Aunt Mai。 She did well to be angry； she
was deserted in her hour of need； and after all； could she be
sure that even the male sex was so impeccable？ There was Dr。
Sutherland； bungling as usual。 Perhaps even he intended to go off
one of these days； too？ She gave him a look； and he shivered in
his shoes。 No！she grinned sardonically； she would always have
Dr。 Sutherland。 And then she reflected that there was one thing
more that she would always have her work。
IV
SIDNEY HERBERT'S death finally put an end to Miss Nightingale's
dream of a reformed War Office。 For a moment； indeed； in the
first agony of her disappointment； she had wildly clutched at a
straw； she had written to M。 Gladstone to beg him to take up the
burden of Sidney Herbert's work。 And Mr。 Gladstone had replied
with a sympathetic account of the funeral。
Succeeding Secretaries of State managed between them to undo a
good deal of what had been accomplished； but they could not undo
it all； and for ten years more （1862…72） Miss Nightingale
remained a potent influence at the War Office。 After that； her
direct connection with the Army came to an end； and her energies
began to turn more and more completely towards more general
objects。 Her work upon hospital reform assumed enormous
proportions； she w