THE RUSH CANDLE. 151 



AMICUS. It is interesting to find old usages 

 preserved ; and where can they be so well 

 preserved as here, and in places like this? 

 As I first observed, everything here smacks of 

 the olden time : look at these cups and saucers ; 

 how antique is their pattern, how dark and 

 grotesque the colouring and the figures on 

 them. I can fancy them from Fienza. I have 

 been asking whether rushlights are still in use 

 here ; and I am told they are, and are home 

 made. 



PISCATOR. See the stand for burning them, 

 partly made of wood, the bottom ; partly of 

 iron, the stem, and the latter so constructed 

 with its terminal cavity and side bracket, as 

 to answer both for the rush candle and the 

 " white candle," as the common tallow candle 

 is called here. 



AMICUS. Pray show me how it is used ; and 

 tell me how the rushlight is prepared, and why 

 the common candle is called a " white candle? " 



PISCATOR. To distinguish it from the greenish 

 rush candle. The latter is prepared much 

 in the same manner as in Connemara; here 

 a mixture of butter and grease is employed 

 to saturate the rush. And in burning, of 

 L 4 



