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ineptitudes of marriage； the emptinesses of convention； in the
spirit of an Ibsen or a Samuel Butler。 Her fierce pen； shaking
with intimate anger； depicts in biting sentences the fearful fate
of an unmarried girl in a wealthy household。 It is a cri du
coeur； and then； as suddenly； she returns once more to instruct
the artisans upon the nature ofOmnipotent Righteousness。
Her mind was； indeed； better qualified to dissect the concrete
and distasteful fruits of actual life than to construct a
coherent system of abstract philosophy。 In spite of her respect
for Law； she was never at home with a generalisation。 Thus；
though the great achievement of her life lay in the immense
impetus which she gave to the scientific treatment of sickness； a
true comprehension of the scientific method itself was alien to
her spirit。 Like most great men of actionperhaps like allshe
was simply an empiricist。 She believed in what she saw； and she
acted accordingly； beyond that she would not go。 She had found in
Scutari that fresh air and light played an effective part in the
prevention of the maladies with which she had to deal； and that
was enough for her； she would not inquire further； what were the
general principles underlying that factor even whether there
were anyshe refused to consider。 Years after the discoveries of
Pasteur and Lister； she laughed at what she called the 'germ…
fetish'。 There was no such thing as 'infection'； she had never
seen it； therefore it did not exist。 But she had seen the good
effects of fresh air； therefore； there could be no doubt about
them； and therefore； it was essential that the bedrooms of
patients should be well ventilated。 Such was her doctrine； and in
those days of hermetically scaled windows it was a very valuable
one。 But it was a purely empirical doctrine； and thus it led to
some unfortunate results。 When； for instance； her influence in
India was at its height； she issued orders that all hospital
windows should be invariably kept open。 The authorities； who knew
what an open window in the hot weather meant； protested； but in
vain； Miss Nightingale was incredulous。 She knew nothing of the
hot weather； but she did know the value of fresh airfrom
personal experience； the authorities were talking nonsense； and
the windows must be kept open all the year round。 There was a
great outcry from all the doctors in India； but she was firm； and
for a moment it seemed possible that her terrible commands would
have to be put into execution。 Lord Lawrence； however； was
Viceroy； and he was able to intimate to Miss Nightingale； with
sufficient authority； that himself had decided upon the question；
and that his decision must stand； even against her own。 Upon that
she gave way； but reluctantly and quite unconvinced； she was only
puzzled by the unexpected weakness of Lord Lawrence。 No doubt； if
she had lived today； and if her experience had lain； not among
cholera cases at Scutari； but among yellow…fever cases in Panama；
she would have declared fresh air a fetish； and would have
maintained to her dying day that the only really effective way of
dealing with disease was by the destruction of mosquitoes。
Yet her mind； so positive； so realistic； so ultra…practical； had
its singular revulsions； its mysterious moods of mysticism and of
doubt。 At times； lying sleepless in the early hours； she fell
into long； strange； agonised meditations； and then； seizing a
pencil； she would commit to paper the confessions of her soul。
The morbid longings of her pre…Crimean days came over her once
more； she filled page after page with self…examination； self…
criticism； self…surrender。 'Oh Father；' she wrote； 'I submit； I
resign myself； I accept with all my heart； thisstretching out of
Thy hand to save me。 。。。 0h how vain it is； the vanity of
vanities； to live in men's thoughts instead of God's！'
She was lonely； she was miserable。 'Thou knowest that through all
these horrible twenty years； I have been supported by the belief
that I was working with Thee who would bring everyone； even our
poor nurses； to perfection'and yet； after all； what was the
result？ Had not even she been an unprofitable servant？ One night；
waking suddenly； she saw； in the dim light of the night…lamp；
tenebrous shapes upon the wall。 The past rushed back upon her。
'Am I she who once stood on that Crimean height？' she wildly
asked 〃The Lady with a lamp shall stand 。 。 。The lamp shows me
only my utter shipwreck。'
She sought consolation in the writings of the Mystics and in a
correspondence with Mr。 Jowett。 For many years the Master of
Balliol acted as her spiritual adviser。 He discussed with her in
a series of enormous letters the problems of religion and
philosophy； he criticised her writings on those subjects with the
tactful sympathy of a cleric who was also a man of the world； and
he even ventured to attempt at times to instil into her
rebellious nature some of his own peculiar suavity。 'I sometimes
think；' he told her； 'that you ought seriously to consider how
your work may be carried on； not with less energy； but in a
calmer spirit。 I am not blaming the past。。。 But I want the peace
of God to settle on the future。' He recommended her to spend her
time no longer in 'conflicts with Government offices'； and to
take up some literary work。 He urged her to 'work out her notion
of Divine Perfection'； in a series of essays for Frazer's
Magazine。 She did so； and the result was submitted to Mr。 Froude；
who pronounced the second essay to be 'even more pregnant than
the first。 I cannot tell；' he said； 'how sanitary； with
disordered intellects； the effects of such papers will be。'
Mr。 Carlyle； indeed； used different language； and some remarks of
his about a lost lamb bleating on the mountains； having been
unfortunately repeated to Miss Nightingale； required all Mr。
Jowett's suavity to keep the peace。 In a letter of fourteen
sheets； he turned her attention from this painful topic towards a
discussion of Quietism。 'I don't see why；' said the Master of
Balliol； 'active life might not become a sort of passive life
too。' And then； he added； 'I sometimes fancy there are
possibilities of human character much greater than have been
realised。' She found such sentiments helpful； underlining them in
blue pencil； and； in return； she assisted her friend with a long
series of elaborate comments upon the Dialogues of Plato； most of
which he embodied in the second edition of his translation。
Gradually her interest became more personal； she told him never
to work again after midnight； and he obeyed her。 Then she helped
him to draw up a special form of daily service for the College
Chapel； with selections from the Psalms under the heads of 'God
the Lord； God the judge； God the Father； and God the Friend'
though； indeed； this project was never realised； for the Bishop
of Oxford disallowed the alterations； exercising his legal
powers； on the advice of Sir Travers Twiss。
Their relations became intimate。 'The spirit of the Twenty…third
Psalm and the spirit of the Nineteenth Psalm should be united in
our lives；' Mr。 Jowett said。 Eventually； she asked him to do her
a singular favour。 Would he； knowing what he did of her religious
views； come to London and administer to her the Holy Sacrament？
He did not hesitate； and afterwards declared that he would always
regard the occasion as a solemn event in his life。 He was devoted
to her though the precise nature of his feelings towards her
never quite transpired。 Her feelings towards him were more mixed。
At first； he was 'that great and good man''that true saint； Mr。
Jowett'； but； as time went on； some gall was mingled with the
balm； the acrimony of her nature asserted itself。 She felt that
she gave more sympathy than she received； she was exhausted； and
she was annoyed by his conversation。 Her tongue； one day； could
not refrain from shooting out at him： 'He comes to me； and he
talks to me；' she said； 'as if I were someone else。'
V
AT one time she had almost decided to end her life in retirement
as a patient at St。 Thomas's Hospital。 But partly owing to the
persuasions of Mr。 Jowett； she changed her mind； for forty…five
years she remained in South Street； and in South Street she died。
As old age approached； though her influence with the official
world gradually diminished； her activities seemed to remain as
intense and widespread as before。 When hospitals were to be
built； when schemes of sanitary reform were in agitation； when
wars broke out； she was still the adviser of all Europe。 Still；
with a characteristic self…assurance； she watched from her
Mayfair bedroom over the welfare of India。 Still； with an
indefatigable enthusiasm； she pushed forward the work； which；
perhaps； was nearer to her heart； more completely her own； than
all the rest the training of nurses。 In her moments of deepest
depression； when her greatest achievements s