Florence Nightingale

"This third volume in the Collected Works of Florence Nightingale reports her controversial theological essays (only two of which have been previously published) and a great array of correspondence, from such Roman Catholics as Cardinal Manning and the Reverend Mother of the Sisters of Mercy of Bermondsey to the liberal Protestant Benjamin Jowett, evangelicals and missionaries. Nightingale's recommendations for a revision of the Bible for schoolchildren and excerpts from her devotional reading are given."--Jacket.

Appendix I, p. 20-53, contains tables showing the mortality and causes of mortality in colonial schools and hospitals. Appendix II, p. 54-67, contains abstracts of papers relating to the causes of mortality among aboriginal races, received from the Colonial Office.

Prior to her heroic efforts in nursing during the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale experienced tremendous psychological and spiritual anguish as she struggled to answer what she believed to be a divine call to service. Traveling to Egypt and Greece in 1849-50, she recorded her thoughts in a diary which has never been published in its entirety. Presented with never before published manuscript material and two unusual pieces of short fiction, this work demonstrates that Nightingale gleaned ancient Egyptian, Platonic, and Hermetic philosophy, Christian scripture and the works of poets, mystics, and missionaries in an attempt to understand the nature of God and her role in the divine plan. - Back cover.

In the original three volume Suggestions for thought, Florence Nightingale intended to give those who had turned away from conventional religion an alternative to atheism. This abridged edition presents the essence of her philosophy.