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8 December 1872 — Madrid | |
Sunday. 8th December [1872]. Had the Sunday class & then church & after lunch we went to the Quartett concert but had to go off in the middle as we were invited to the christening of Genl Sickles’ baby. Found a large assembly & a small altar erected in a corner of the drawing room. Genl Cordova was godfather & held the baby & Mrs Sickles’ mother was godmother. There was a slight hush in the room when the service but it did not last long & soon laughing, talking & joking commenced & almost swamped the priest. A large lighted & ornamented candle was held by the baby & a large silver cross in front of the priest abt 6 minor priests assisted one holding his book (a nice one bound in red velvet & with silver clasps & ornaments) & prompted the officiating priest– The child slept until the salt was put into his mouth—when ½ the service was read they moved to a table where was a silver gilt basin holding water– The child was then anointed behind the ears, under the chin & on the nape of his neck with a little instrument (like a cayenne pepper spoon) fastened on to the stopper of the bottle containing the holy oil. Then water was poured over his head, he was crossed & re-crossed & satin hood embroidered with gold put on his head & the priest laid the end of his stole 2 or 3 times over him. At the end they went back to the altar where the godparents went down on their knees & poor Genl Cordova had to be let down & got up by people holding his elbows. In fact it was a wonder he managed to hold the child so light as he had to turn or twist him about so often that he had ended by getting him up in a heap & must have been glad when it was over– He gave Mrs Sickles a splendid bracelet of 5 layer pearls white, black & pink set with diamonds. It appears it is the fashion to give a present to the mother as well as the child. There were refreshments given after the ceremony– The child has 7 names but I could only learn that the first was “George.” We went home as soon as possible & the Vernouillets came & we had some tea to refresh us. Mr Churches dined with us—a meek youth who is an architect come to study art in Spain. Palmaroli also dined & as of old went to sleep before the end of dinner. Also Messrs Ffrench, Seymour & Haggart who is still lame from having been ridden against in the Fuente. | |
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