The German Emperor, who was visiting our shores at the time, took occasion to pay Miss Nightingale a very graceful compliment, by sending her a bouquet of flowers, accompanied by the following letter from the German Ambassador: “DEAR MISS NIGHTINGALE,--His Majesty the Emperor, having just brought to a close a most enjoyable stay in the beautiful neighbourhood of your old home [Embley Park] near Romsey, has commanded me to present you with some flowers as a token of his esteem for the lady who, after receiving her education in nursing by the Sisters of Mercy at Kaiserswerth, on the Rhine, rendered such invaluable services to the cause of humanity during the Crimean War, and subsequently founded a house for the training of nurses in England, which is justly considered to be a model institution of European fame. “His Majesty sends you his best wishes, and I have the honour to remain,--Yours sincerely, “P. METTERNICH, “German Ambassador.” The following letter was sent in reply: “YOUR EXCELLENCY,--I have the honour to acknowledge, on behalf of Miss Nightingale, the receipt of your letter of to-day, and of the very beautiful flowers, which she greatly appreciated. “Miss Nightingale desires me to request you to be good enough to convey to His Majesty the Emperor how much she values his Majesty’s gracious expressions of esteem and good wishes. She has always thought most highly of the nursing of the Sisters of Mercy at Kaiserswerth. “She also recalls with deep gratitude the friendship and sympathy with which his Majesty’s august mother, the late Empress, was pleased to honour her. Miss Nightingale would write personally but that failing health and eyesight prevent her.--I have the honour, etc. “K. SHORE NIGHTINGALE.” The City of London might most fittingly have bestowed its honourable freedom upon Miss Nightingale when she returned from the Crimea in 1856, but the heroine’s retiring disposition and the conservatism of an ancient corporation stood in the way of that honour being bestowed. The late Baroness Burdett-Coutts was the first woman presented with the freedom of the City, and she has had no successor until, in February 1908, the Corporation, with the Lord Mayor presiding, passed with great enthusiasm the following resolution moved by Mr. Deputy Wallace: “That the honourable freedom of this City, in a gold box of the value of one hundred guineas, be presented to Miss Florence Nightingale, in testimony of this Court’s appreciation of her philanthropic and successful efforts for the improvement of hospital nursing and management, whereby invaluable results have been attained for the alleviation of human suffering.”