SARAH A. TOOLEY KENSINGTON. CONTENTS CHAPTER I _BIRTH AND ANCESTRY_ PAGE Birth at Florence--Shore Ancestry--Peter Nightingale of Lea--Florence Nightingale’s Parents 1 CHAPTER II _EARLIEST ASSOCIATIONS_ Lea Hall first English Home--Neighbourhood of Babington Plot--Dethick Church 8 CHAPTER III _LEA HURST_ Removal to Lea Hurst--Description of the House--Florence Nightingale’s Crimean Carriage preserved there 15 CHAPTER IV _THE DAYS OF CHILDHOOD_ Romantic Journeys from Lea Hurst to Embley Park--George Eliot Associations--First Patient--Love of Animals and Flowers--Early Education 22 CHAPTER V _THE SQUIRE’S DAUGHTER_ An Accomplished Girl--An Angel in the Homes of the Poor--Children’s “Feast Day” at Lea Hurst--Her Bible-Class for Girls--Interests at Embley--Society Life--Longing for a Vocation--Meets Elizabeth Fry--Studies Hospital Nursing--Decides to go to Kaiserswerth 38 CHAPTER VI _FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE’S ALMA MATER AND ITS FOUNDER_ Enrolled a Deaconess at Kaiserswerth--Paster Fliedner--His Early Life--Becomes Pastor at Kaiserswerth--Interest in Prison Reform--Starts a Small Penitentiary for Discharged Female Prisoners--Founds a School and the Deaconess Hospital--Rules for Deaconesses--Marvellous Extension of his Work--His Death--Miss Nightingale’s Tribute 54 CHAPTER VII _ENTERS KAISERSWERTH: A PLEA FOR DEACONESSES_ An Interesting Letter--Description of Miss Nightingale when she entered Kaiserswerth--Testimonies to her Popularity--Impressive Farewell to Pastor Fliedner 68 CHAPTER VIII _A PERIOD OF WAITING_ Visits the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris--Illness--Resumes Old Life at Lea Hurst and Embley--Interest in John Smedley’s System of Hydropathy--Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Herbert’s Philanthropies--Work at Harley Street Home for Sick Governesses--Illness and Return Home 80 CHAPTER IX _SIDNEY, LORD HERBERT OF LEA_ Gladstone on Lord Herbert--Early Life of Lord Herbert--His Mother--College Career--Enters Public Life--As Secretary for War--Benevolent Work at Salisbury--Lady Herbert--Friendship with Florence Nightingale--Again Secretary for War 87 CHAPTER X _THE CRIMEAN WAR AND CALL TO SERVICE_