OF SBLBOBNE. 
217 
LETTER XXYL 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 
Selborne, Nov. 1, 1775. 
" Hie taedae pingues, hie plurimus ignis 
Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri." 
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 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 
the Juncus conglomeratus , 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 need- 
less 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 becomes familiar even to children ; 
and we have seen an old woman, stone-blind, performing 
this business with great dispatch, and seldom failing to 
