(5) Two dolphins, whose tails are crossed, and in the middle a chalice and the host, with the inscription, _Delitiæ generis humani_. By this device is signified the love and the delight bestowed by God on men by means of this Sacrament. (6) An altar adorned with festoons of vine-tendrils and blades of wheat, with flames upon it, and bearing the inscription, _Æternum sacrificium_. FOURTH ORDER In this order is represented the Holy Trinity upon a rainbow, surrounded by many rays of splendour, and in the fifth order is a bell, surmounted by a simple cross. Thus are all the parts of the _custodia_ adorned with the foregoing beautiful decoration, having regard to their proportions and their symmetry, according to the rules of good architecture, and to the movements and position of the statuary, designed after nature, as was prescribed by the inventor of histories. "_Et in his omnibus sensum matris Ecclesiæ sequimur, cujus etiam juditium reveremur._" Such is the description, written by Arfe himself, of this wonderful masterpiece of silver-work. Unfortunately, since his time the _custodia_ has been much meddled with by profane hands, and has been subjected to various impertinent "restorations" and "improvements." Thus, the original statuette of Faith, seated on her throne, has been replaced by another of the Virgin, and the twelve child-angels, holding the instruments of the passion, by the same number of figures of a larger size and far inferior workmanship. Further, some simple pyramids which crowned the fourth order were foolishly replaced by badly executed statuettes of children, and the Egyptian obelisk, resting on four small spheres, which surmounted the whole _custodia_, by an unwieldy statue representing the Catholic Faith. * * * * * DESCRIPTION OF THE _CUSTODIA_ OF CORDOVA CATHEDRAL (From _Córdoba_, by PEDRO DE MADRAZO) As I have stated in Vol. I., p. 98, the author of this _custodia_ was Enrique de Arfe, Juan de Arfe's grandfather. "The base, supported on small wheels placed in the interior, is in the form of a regular dodecagon, each side of which measures a foot. On the twelve-sided plate which forms the base and which has well executed heads of seraphs at each corner, is an order consisting of three tiers. The first, which has projecting and receding angles, leaves, about six sides of the dodecagon, a free space for the handles by which the _custodia_ is raised. The first tier forms a kind of socle with six buttresses, on the surface of which are represented allegorical scenes, alternated in rows with graceful designs in relief, grotesque and pastoral dances, and scenes from Bible history relative to the carriage of the Tabernacle. This tier is surmounted by a gilded balustrade of elegant design. The bas-reliefs are wrought alternately in gold and silver.