NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. I9I 
Peay bs Re ee oa Ney 
TO THE SAME: 
SELBORNE, Wov. 1st, 1775- 
“‘ Hic... . teed pingues, hic plurimus ignis 
Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri.’”’ * 
DEAR SIR,—I shall make no apology for troubling you with the 
detail of a very simple piece of domestic economy, being satisfied 
that you think nothing beneath your attention that tends to utility ; 
the matter alluded to is the use of rushes instead of candles, which 
I am well aware prevails in many districts besides this; but as I 
know there are countries also where it does not obtain, and as | 
have considered the subject with some degree of exactness, I shall 
proceed in my humble story, and leave you to judge of the 
expediency. 
The proper species of rush for this purpose seems to be the 
juncus effusus, or common soft rush, which is to be found in most 
moist pastures, by the sides of streams, and under hedges. These 
rushes are in best condition in the height of summer ; but may be 
gathered, so as to serve the purpose well, quite on to autumn. It 
would be needless to add that the largest and longest are best. 
Decayed labourers, women, and children, make it their business to 
procure and prepare them. As soon as they are cut, they must be 
flung into water, and kept there, for otherwise they will dry and 
shrink, and the peel will not run. At first a person would find 
it no easy matter to divest a rush of its peel or rind, so as to leave 
one regular, narrow, even rib from top to bottom that may support 
the pith; but this like other feats, soon become familiar even to 
children ; and we have seen an old woman, stone blind, performing 
this business with great despatch, and seldom failing to strip them 
with the nicest regularity. When these jwc¢ are thus far prepared 
* “* With heapy fires our cheerful hearth is crowned ; 
And firs for torches in the woods abound : 
We fear not more the winds, and wintry cold, 
Than streams the bank, nor wolves the bleating fold.”” 
Dryp. Virc. Ze/. vii, line 7o. 
