RUSH CANDLES. 



Gipsies are called in French, Bohemians, in 

 Italian and modern Greek, Zingani. 



XXVI. 



" Hie tacdae pingues, hie plurimus ignis 



Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri." 



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 coun- 

 tries also where it does not obtain, and as I have 

 considered the subject with some degree of exact- 

 ness, 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 conglomerates, or common 

 soft rush, which is to be found in most moist pas- 

 tures, 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 chil- 

 dren, make it their business to procure and pre- 

 pare 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 



