Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) [English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing] four-page autograph letter signed to Miss Moss’, headed ’30 Old Burlington St London W’ and dated ‘Dec 1/58’

Transcript:
‘Dear Miss Moss,
I wonder whether you remember me. You remembered our men so generously & so effectually in the great disaster of Scutari, that I cannot help thinking a “confidential” Report of mine to the War office might interest you, altho’ an old story now. I have therefore ventured to send you a copy – altho’ I have lived for the last four years so entirely out of the world that I do not even know if you are Miss Moss still – I think it must be 20 years since we met you at Paris.
My sister, Lady Verney, whom you may remember as Parthe, is married. And I am now nearly confined to my bed & have been so for the last 15 months.
If you kindly accept my Report, please remember that it is really “confidential”, that it must not be on your table, nor be seen by any one else. For it has not been presented to the Ho: of Commons & is in no sense public property – so is therefore only for you & those members of your family who contributed so nobly to the relief of our suffering men in the War Hospitals of in the East. Believe me ever sincerely yours.
Florence Nightingale’

Rev. Sir George Drinkwater Bourne (1821–1901)

A similar letter sent to several other correspondents, a notable example to Florence Nightingale's banker at Coutts and friend, Edward Marjoribanks "You were one of my first protectors & have always been my steady friend. I venture to send you a copy of a "confidential" Report of mine to the War Office... it is "confidential" really, & not to lie upon your table or be shewn to any one, please." (Bonhams, 4th December 2019, lot 31).

As with the Bonhams letter, this copy would have been sent with a copy of ‘Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, Efficiency, and Hospital Administration of the British Army, Founded Chiefly on the Experience of the Late War’ London: 1858, which includes the famous lithographed plates. Printed at her own expense for private circulation amongst a small circle of friends and influential people, this remarkable document, which uncovered the shocking statistic that 16,000 of the 18,000 deaths in the Crimea were not due to battle wounds but to preventable diseases spread by poor sanitation, proposed a radical overhaul of the British Army's administration, sanitation and nursing practices.