CHAPTER V

THE RELIGIOUS SANCTION: "SUGGESTIONS FOR THOUGHT" (1860)

The religious sanction behind Miss Nightingale's life of work-- Resumption of her theological speculations--Printing of her _Suggestions for Thought_--General character of the book. II. Miss Nightingale and John Stuart Mill--Her introduction to Benjamin Jowett--The book submitted to them--Mill's advice that it should be published, Jowett's that it should not--Literary imperfections--Her impatience of literary revision. III. Scope of the book--Vehemence of style--Explanation of Mill's and Jowett's contrary advice. IV. Origin of the book--Sketch of her theological system--Thoughts on Prayer--God as Law--Influence of Quetelet--Doctrine of human perfectibility as explaining the existence of evil--Freewill and Necessity--Belief in a future life--The philosophy of history-- Motive for human conduct. V. Miss Nightingale's attitude to current creeds, Protestant and Catholic. VI. Spiritual intensity with which she held her creed 468