LETTER XXVI. 



To the same. 



SELBORNE, Nov. isf, 1775. 

 1 Hie .... ttedte pingues, hie plurimus ignis 

 Semper, et assidua pastes fuligine nigri." 



EAR 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 atten- 

 tion 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 I 

 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 thejuncus 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 



