NIGHTINGALE FLORENCE: (1820-1910) British Pioneer of Nursing.

A good A.L.S., Florence Nightingale, four pages, 8vo, South Street, London, 26th April 1864, to Sir John Lawrence, marked Private. Nightingale writes in ink on mourning stationery and announces 'I have twice had news of Lady Lawrence and your bab-kin', explaining that her sister and brother-in-law, the Verneys, had been to Southgate to enquire after Lady Lawrence with Lady Hatherton, 'And your eldest daughter was so good as to receive them with all her own peculiar charm'. Nightingale remarks 'My sister fell quite in love with her. She said her extreme modesty (to use a good old English word) her unconsciousness of self & withal her perfect self-possession, make her quite a remarkable person. [These are the elements of a great "man"]', further continuing 'The little three year old, whom my sister calls Brat-kin, & who I believe is your especial pet, took Lady Hatherton's fore finger in his little hand, & said, "You are to come & see Baby", & led her away. But of course he was too wise a little man to allow her to see "Mama". Then he rode upon my brother-in-law's foot, & made great friends with him'. She continues to inform Lawrence of a garden full of boys and girls playing happily together, her sister having told her that 'it was so little like the artificial hot bed of what London children mostly are now' and adding 'my sister's eyes were full of tears when she described to me the beautiful scene'. Nightingale also comments on Lawrence's other daughters, 'I think they are longing very much for that time to come to join you. And I can fancy that even the baby is considered by Lady Lawrence something of an interloper because it prevented her from going out with you. They said that you had taken a house at Simla for them.' Nightingale concludes her informative letter 'My description is a very poor one; but you will fill it up. It only increases the greatness of your sacrifice. God grant you may see them all again safe & well, both those who are going out to you & those who are to be left behind in England is the fervent prayer of your faithful servt. …..' . With blank integral leaf. The pages of the letter are neatly tied together to the upper left corner with a thin red and white entwined string. VGJohn Lawrence (1811-1879) 1st Baron Lawrence. British Statesman. Lawrence had taken up his position as Viceroy and Governor-General of India on 12th January 1864 and continued in the post until 12th January 1869.Frances Parthenope Verney (1819-1890) English Writer & Journalist, sister of Florence Nightingale. On 24th June 1858 Parthenope married her sister's rejected suitor Harry Verney (1801-1894) English Soldier and Politician. She was an active supporter of her sister's work during the Crimean War.Lady Margaret Percy (c.1825-1897) Daughter of George Percy (1778-1867) 5th Duke of Northumberland and wife of Edward Littleton (1815-1888) 2nd Baron Hatherton. British Peer & Politician.Florence Nightingale is widely considered as the founder of modern nursing and gave the profession a highly favourable reputation, as such becoming an icon of Victorian culture, particularly in the persona of 'The Lady with the Lamp' who made rounds of the wounded soldiers of the Crimean War at night.