the cost of their support in reformatories. Sir George
Grey has appointed Mr. W. Morgan, of Birmingham, a
professional gentleman who has shown great interest in
the subject of the improved treatment of juvenile crime,
to the important functions of agent to the Secretary of
State, for the purpose of taking proceedings under the
act. This appointment extends over the counties
included in the Midland, Oxford, and Western Circuits,
and includes nearly all the principal reformatories at
present established in Great Britain.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE.

THE King of Sardinia arrived at Windsor Castle on
the 30th ult. Next day his Majesty, accompanied by
the Queen and Prince Albert, visited Woolwich; and
on the 3rd inst., went with Prince Albert to Portsmouth.
The prime event during his stay—his visit to
the City—took place on the 4th. The weather was
unfavourable, but the streets were lined with spectators,
by whom the king was loudly cheered as he passed
along. The interior of Guildhall was magnificently
decorated for the occasion. When the King arrived, the
Lord Mayor and Aldermen, receiving him at the door,
escorted him to the throne. The spectators all rose;
the band of the Blues played the national air of Sardinia,
the assembly cheered, and his Majesty bowed right
and left. When silence was restored, the Recorder read
to his Majesty the address of the Corporation of London.
The King read a reply in Italian, speaking with a fine
manly voice, and of which the following is a translation:
"My Lord Mayor—I offer my heartfelt thanks to you,
to the Aldermen and to the Commons of the City of
London, for the cordial congratulations which you present
to me on the occasion of my visit to her Majesty the
Queen and to the British nation. The reception that I
meet with in this ancient land of constitutional liberty,
of which your address is a confirmation, is to me a proof
of the sympathy inspired by the policy I have hitherto
pursued—a policy in which it is my intention constantly
to persevere. The close alliance existing between the
two most powerful nations of the earth is honourable
alike to the wisdom of the sovereigns who govern them,
and to the character of their people. They have understood
how preferable is a mutually advantageous friendship
to ancient and ill-defined rivalry. This alliance is
a new fact in history, and is the triumph of civilisation.
Notwithstanding the misfortunes which have weighed
upon my kingdom, I have entered into this alliance,
because the house of Savoy ever deemed it to be its duty
to draw the sword when the combat was for justice and
for independence. If the forces which I bring to the
Allies are those of a state not vast, I bring with them,
nevertheless, the influence of a loyalty never doubted,
and supported by the valour of an army always faithful
to the banners of its kings. We cannot lay down our
arms until an honourable and therefore durable peace
has been secured. This we shall accomplish by seeking
unanimously the triumph of true right and the just
desires of each nation. I thank you for the good wishes
you this day express for my future happiness and for
that of my kingdom. While you thus express yourselves
with respect to the future, it gives me pleasure to
speak of the present, and to congratulate you on the
high position attained by Great Britain. This is to be
attributed to the free and noble character of the nation,
and also to the virtues of your Queen."—A banquet
followed; after which the king returned to Buckingham
Palace. On the 5th, the king was installed as a knight
of the garter; and, on the 6th, set out on his return
homewards, by way of France.

A meeting on the subject of a Testimonial to Miss
Nightingale, was held at Willis's Rooms, on the 29th
ult. The room was crowded with distinguished persons.
The Duke of Cambridge took the chair, and stated the
object of the meeting. There are, he said, various kinds
of testimonials, but that proposed for Miss Nightingale
would be such as would benefit her fellow creatures. It
was proposed that a sum should be raised for the
purpose of placing it in her hands, not to build a new
hospital, but to establish a school for nurses, partly of a
higher order than common, and partly of an ordinary
character, who, when trained by her, may be sent forth
to the various hospitals that may require their assistance.
The execution of the plan would be left entirely to Miss
Nightingale, assisted by a council of her own selection.
That is a compliment the public ought to pay. After
this introduction, resolutions were moved and seconded
by various gentlemen,—the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir
William Heathcote, Sir John Pakington, Sir James
Clarke, Lord Stanley, Mr. Monckton Milnes, the Lord
Mayor, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Mr. Bracebridge, the Duke
of Argyll, the Reverend Sidney Godolphin Osborne,
Lord Goderich, and Dr. Cumming. Mr. Sidney Herbert
told some interesting facts respecting Miss Nightingale.
At the time when Miss Nightingale proceeded
to the East, there was published, unintentionally—by
what accident he knew not—a letter from him to Miss
Nightingale, written with all the freedom of friendship
and with all the urgency which the circumstances of
the time imposed. In that letter he had taken a liberty
with the names of Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge: without
any previous consultation, he had said to Miss Nightingale,
as a further inducement to her to undertake
the task which he was urging upon her—"This I
will answer for, Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge will go out
with you:" and this he had said because he knew that
in those two persons there existed such a feeling for the
high and noble work, such an appreciation of and
attachment to the virtues of Miss Nightingale, that he
might safely answer for the conduct they would pursue.
Other names there were, too, in this glorious band,
which might also claim their gratitude; but where all
had done so well it would be invidious to select individuals.
Miss Nightingale's name was selected only
because on her the chief weight of responsibility fell, and
through her, therefore, it was that the meed of praise
which had been achieved ought to be paid. . . . . Some
years ago he had seen her at the great Lutheran
Hospital on the banks of the Rhine, near Dusseldorf,—an
establishment out of which no person was allowed to
pass to practise as a nurse except after having gone
through very severe examinations; and the superintendent
of the hospital then told him, that since he had
been at the head of it no person had ever passed so
distinguished an examination or had shown herself so
thoroughly mistress of all she had to learn as Miss
Nightingale. Moreover, he had no hesitation in saying
that Miss Nightingale in her present position had exhibited
greater power of organisation, a greater familiarity
with details, while at the same time she took a comprehensive
view of the general bearing of the subject, than
had marked the conduct of any one connected with the
hospitals during the present war. An anecdote which
had lately been sent to him by a correspondent showed
her great power over all with whom she came into
contact. Here was the passage. "I have just heard such
a pretty account from a soldier describing the comfort it
was to see even Florence pass—'She would speak to one
and another, and nod and smile to a many more; but
she couldn't do it to all, you know, for we lay there by
hundreds; but we could kiss her shadow as it fell, and
lay our heads on the pillow again content.'" And his
correspondent then very justly remarked—"What
poetry there is in these men!" And again—"I think
I told you of another, who said 'Before she came there
was such cussin' and swearin'; but after that it was as
holy as a church.'" He had been told, too, by eye-
witnesses, that it was most singular to remark how,
when men, frenzied, perhaps, by their wounds and
disease, had worked themselves into a passionate refusal
to submit to necessary operations, a few calm sentences
of hers seemed at once to allay the storm, and the men
would submit willingly to the painful ordeal they had
to undergo. They could not pretend to offer to such a
woman any recompense for her services without
lowering their high standard. The only suitable mark of
gratitude which could be shown her would be one
which would testify the confidence of the English
people in her energy, ability, and zeal. Great as was
his friendship for Miss Nightingale, he should be merciless
to her in one respect. The abilities which she had
displayed could not again be allowed to slumber. So
long as she lived her labours were marked out for her;
the diamond had shown itself, and it must not be