CENTURY IV. 185 



at least a third part of time. For the bigness of 

 the flame, the cotton and thread cast a flame much 

 alike ; and the rush much less and dimmer. Query, 

 Whether wood and wicks both, as in torches, con 

 sume faster than the wicks simple. 



371. We have spoken of the several materials, 

 and the several wicks : but to the lasting- of the 

 flame it importeth also, not only what the material 

 is, but in the same material whether it be hard, soft, 

 old, new, &c. Good housewives, to make their 

 candles burn the longer, use to lay them, one by one, 

 in bran or flour, which make them harder, and so 

 they consume the slower : insomuch as by this means 

 they will outlast other candles of the same stuff 

 almost half in half. For bran and flour have a virtue 

 to harden ; so that both age, and lying in the bran, 

 doth help to the lasting. And we see that wax 

 candles last longer than tallow candles, because wax 

 is more firm and hard. 



372. The lasting of flame also dependeth upon 

 the easy drawing of the nourishment ; as we see in 

 the Court of England there is a service which they 

 call Allnight ; which is as it were a great cake of wax, 

 with the wick in the midst ; whereby it cometh to 

 pass, that the wick fetcheth the nourishment farther 

 off. We see also that lamps last longer, because the 

 vessel is far broader than the breadth of a taper or 

 candle. 



373. Take a turreted lamp of tin, made in the 

 form of a square : the height of the turret being 

 thrice as much as the length of the lower part 



