Árdís - 01.01.1955, Side 25

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
23
subject to her mother, who scoffed at her and put an end to her
plans, temporarily. Unfortunately, Mrs. Nightingale never under-
stood her daughter and for years continued to bitterly oppose and
thwart her.
In 1847 while travelling, Florence met Mr. and Mrs. Sidney
Herbert in Rome. Many years later Mr. Herbert, in the capacity of
Secretary to War, was to be of great assistance to her. While on
this trip Florence first came to know Archbishop Manning and
made her first acquaintance with Roman Catholicism. The result
of these encounters was that she turned to contemplation and
prayer and became more resolved than ever to become a nurse.
However, upon her return to England she fell into her old hated
routine in her parents’ home, with considerable outward grace. Her
only outlet was writing reams into her diary.
In the autumn of 1848, Mrs. Nightingale planned to take her
daughters to Germany, where Florence was hoping she might visit
the Lutheran Deaconess Home in Kaiserwerth near Frankfort.
However, the unsettled conditions of Europe forced a change of
plans which was a bitter disappointment. This served, however, to
show her mother that the idea of becoming a nurse was far from
being abandoned. There now followed a trip to Egypt with
Florence’s great friends the Bracebridges. Here she became more
contemplative than ever, in fact, she became almost a religious
maniac, seeing God everywhere and conversing audibly with Him.
Her good common sense came to her aid and she pulled out of this
morbidity.
In April 1850 the party travelled to Greece where more self-
examination continued. Here she had the good fortune of meeting
Mr. and Mrs. Hill, American Missionaries who allowed her to
accompany them on their visits to the sick and needy, and she now
felt she was doing something worthwhile.
From Greece, they journeyed to Gei'many and Florence was
elated. At long last, her mother had given her permission to visit
Kaiserwerth. Here she stayed for two weeks, from July 31 to
August 13. This institution was a home for discharged female
prisoners and contained among other departments a hospital, where
though hygiene and nursing were not of high standard, Florence