 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
31 January 1879 — Constantinople | |
Friday. 31st January [1879]. I was in the middle of my singing lesson when I was informed that the Sultan’s children had come to see me. Found Henry in the drawing room & little Selim Effi the Sultan’s eldest boy of abt 9—pasty & weak looking. Also Mehemet Effi the son of Abdul Asiz & also another nephew of the Sultan’s—son of a brother who is dead a little thing of 5. They were accompanied by 2 preceptors who only spoke Turkish & stood up all the time. After some conversation on Henry’s part aided later by Sir Alfred we gave them some crackers to carry away– We gave them a little box to carry them in & it was amusing to see how careful Prince Selim was to put his separate—the preceptor said that he wd take care to remember in order to avoid a dispute on getting home. Sir Alfred took them round the garden– As they went out Hobart P. came in & saluted them to wh Selim Effi answered quite quietly. It appears that the etiquette requires only one to return a salute. The little boy cd hardly walk & had to be led by the hand. He was a funny little figure in his European jacket & trousers. The Preceptor said that Prince Selim had often expressed a wish to come in to the Embassy on passing it & said “I know the Ambassador, I can very well call upon him.” When he went to bed Henry began to have a shivering fit & I got him to bed & gave him something hot but he had a bad night & later on was sick so that I was up with him most of the night. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |