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3 December 1882 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Sunday. 3rd December [1882]. Mildred came to my room before we were dressed & we sat a while talking by the studio fire. At 10.30 we all went off to Murano to see the blessing of the furnaces of the new Vetreria Venezia Murano. Mr Castellani called in his gondola with Mme [illegible word] & took Alice, Mr Colnaghi & Louis. Henry, Maria, Mildred & I followed in an open gondola. It was a splendid day & we had a beautiful row. It was pretty cold but we were well wrapped. The mountains looked grand in the distance all covered with snow. We were directed to go to the church on our arrival but we met every body coming away from Mass so we returned to the glass place. There we found Ct Serego & his niece & nephew & soon came Sr Colleoni the Mayor of Murano & all the people connected with the new & old glass works. The furnaces were lighted & the workmen all standing abt. We went abt showing Maria the place when it was said the “parroco” had arrived & we assembled in the middle of the building between the 2 furnaces. We found the parish priest in his vestments accompanied by 2 other priests en soutane & a small accolyte with 2 unlighted tapers. The priest was mumbling prayers out of a book & at the same time he walked round the building sprinkling Holy Water right & left. Then he returned to his Prie Dieu & prayed & then went to the furnaces, lit his taper & set fire to some shavings wh he blessed—so that the fire of the furnaces might be blessed as well as the rest– The Abbate Zanetti who stood next to me told me the service was a very old one perhaps 300 years old. People seemed to talk & laugh the whole time & the priests gabbled away unconcernedly. After it the old priest addressed the assembly– Then the Sigr Colleoni, then Ab. Zanetti & lastly Ct Serego who is very eloquent & fluent & he raised a little enthusiasm amongst the workmen & they ended by calling out Viva Murano. Then we partook of a light refreshment, tea, coffee—pasta & wine–& then returned home. Lunched & Mr Colnaghi with us. I did not go out again. Maria went out with Henry. Mrs Bronson called & sat some time so that Henry found her on his return. Css Canevaro & Mlle Cozzi called & stayed a long time– Olga also joined us. When they were gone Maria & I went to the studio to write– Mildred got a letter from her mother saying she was at Hotel Victoria & so Mildred begged to be allowed to go off & see her. I sent her in a gondola with Catterina. She only returned just as we were finishing dinner & said her mother wd call for her at 8 tomorrow morning. Piano & harmonium in evening– | |
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