fn CAN 
lias already been noticed, namely, that it breaks clown by 
fufion, and In tiers its fluid contents to efcape. The Chi- 
nefe have a kind of candle of about half an inch in diame¬ 
ter, which, in the harbour of Canton, is called a lobchock ; 
but whether the name be Chinefe-, or the corruption of 
feme European woid, I am ignorant. The wick is of cot¬ 
ton, w rapped round a fmall flick or match of the bamboo 
cane. T ire body of the candle is white tallow ; but the 
external part, to the thicknefs of perhaps one thirtieth of 
on inch, conlifts of a waxy matter coloured red. This 
covering gives a confiderable degree of folidity to the can¬ 
dle, and prevents its guttering, becaufe lefs fufible than 
the tallow itfelf. 1 did not obferve that the flick in the 
middle was either advantageous or the contrary ; and as 1 
now write from the recollection of this objett at fo remote 
a period as twenty-five years ago, I can only conjecture 
that it might be of advantage in throwing up a lefs quan¬ 
tity of oil into the flame, than would have been conveyed 
by a wick of cotton fufficientry flout to have occupied its 
place unfupported in the axis of the candle. Many years 
ago f made a candle in imitation of the lobchock. The 
expedient, to whic-h 1 had reco'urfe, confided in adapting 
the wick in the ufual pewter mould.: wax was then pour¬ 
ed in, and immediately afterwards poured out : the film of 
wax which adhered to the inner furface of the mould foon 
became cool, and the candle was completed by filling th.e 
mould with tallow. When it was drawn out, it was found 
to be cracked longitudinally on its furface, which 1 attribut¬ 
ed to the contraction of tiie wax, by cooling, being greater 
titan that of the tallow. At prefent I think it equally 
.probable that the cracking might have been occafioned by 
too bidden cooling of the wax before tite tallow was pour¬ 
ed in ; but other avocations prevented the experiments 
from being varied-and repeated. It is probable that the 
Chinefe external coating may not be formed of pure hard 
bleach,ed wax. 
“ But the mod decifive remedy for the imperfection of 
this cheapeft, and in other refpebts be ft, material for can¬ 
dles, would undoubtedly be to diminifh its fufibility. Va¬ 
rious fubftances may be combined with tallow, either in 
the diretSt or indirect method. In the latter way, by the 
decomposition of foap, a number of experiments were made 
by Berthollet, of which an account is inferred in the Me¬ 
moirs of the Academy at Paris for the year 1780, and co¬ 
pied into the 26th volume of the Journal de Phyfique. None 
of thefe point direCtly to the prefent object; beiides which, 
it is probable that the foap made rife of by that eminent 
chemift was formed not of tallow, but oil. 1 am not aware 
of any regular (cries of experiments concerning the mutual 
aClion of fat oils and other chemical agents, more efpeci- 
aily inch as may be directed to this important object of 
diminilhing its Solubility ; for which reafon I fhall mention 
a few experiments made with this view. 1. Tallow was 
melted in a’fmall Silver vefifl. Solid tallow finks in the 
fluid, and diilblves without any remarkable appearance. 
2. Gum faiidarach in fears was not diflolved, but emitted 
bubbles, Swelled up, became brown, emitted fumes, and 
"became crifp or friable. No folution or improvement of 
the tallow. 3. Shell-lac fvvelled up with bubbles, and 
was more perfectly fufed than the gum- fandaraeh m the 
former experiment. When the tallow was poured off, it 
was thought to congeal rather more fpeedily. The lac 
did not appear to be altered. 4. Beirzoin bubbled with¬ 
out much fwelling, was filled, and emitted fumes of an 
agreeable Smell, though not refcmbling the tfowers of 
'benzoin. A flight or partial folution feemed to take place. 
The beirzoin was fofter and of a darker colour than before, 
and ’ lie..tallowJefs confident. 5. Common refill unites ve¬ 
ry readily with melted tallow, and forms a more fufible 
compound than the tallow itfelf. 6. Camphor melts eafrly 
in tallow, without altering its appearance. When the tal¬ 
low is near boiling, camphoric fumes fly off. The com¬ 
pound appeared, more fufible than tallow. 7. The acid 
•or flowers of benzoin diffoives in great quantities without 
any ebullition or commotion. Much Smoke ariles from 
CAN 
tire compound, which does not Smell like the acid ofbet?- 
zoin. Tallow alone does not fume at a low heat, though 
it emits a fmell Something like that of oil olive. When 
tire proportion of the acid was confiderable, fmall needled 
cryffals appeared as the temperature diminifhed. The ap¬ 
pearances of reparation are different, according to the quan¬ 
tity of acid. The compound has the hardnefs and confid¬ 
ence of firm foap, and is partially transparent. 8. Vitrio- 
laled tartar, nitre, white Sugar, cream of tartar, cryftal- 
lized borax, and the fait fold in the markets under the 
name of fait of lemons, but which is fuppofed to be the 
effential fait of forrel, or vegetable alkali fuperfaturated 
with acid of Sugar, were refpedtively tried without any 
obvious mutual action or change of properties in the tal¬ 
low. 9. Calcined magnefia rendered tallow opaque and 
turbid, but did not feem to diffolve. Its effects refembled 
that of lime. 
“ It is propofed to try the oxygenated acetous acid, or 
radical vinegar; the acid of ants, of Sugar, or borax, of 
galls, the tanning principle, the ferous and gelatinous a- 
nimal matter, the fecula of vegetables, vegetable gluten, 
bird-lime, and other principles, either by direct or indirect 
application. The objed, in a commercial point of view, 
is entitled to an extenfive and afliduous inveftigation. Che- 
milts in general fuppofe the hardnefs or lefs fufibility of 
wax to arife from oxygen ; and to this objett it may per¬ 
haps be advantageous to diredt a certain portion of the in¬ 
quiry. The metallic falts and calces are the combinations 
from which this principle is molt commonly obtained ; but 
the combinations of thefe with fat oils have hitherto af¬ 
forded little promife of the improvement here fought. 
The fubject is, however, fo little known, that experi¬ 
ments of the loofeft and moft conjectural kind are by no 
means to be defpifed.” 
Exclufive of thefe trials, great advantages might per¬ 
haps be obtained merely by purifying the tallow, and keep¬ 
ing it in that (late for a long time expofed to the air before 
it be formed into candles. It is certain that tallow is ren¬ 
dered more difficult of fufion by age ; and this is'the foie 
reafon that old candles burn the longelf, and perhaps are 
lefs apt to run, and therefore more valuable than fuch as 
have been lately made. 
Medicated CAN'DI.E,/! See Bougie. 
CAN'DLE-HOLDER, f. He that holds the candle. 
He that remotely affifts : 
Let wantons, light of heart, 
Tickle the fenfelefs ruffles with her heels; 
■For I am proverb’d w'ith a grandfire phrafe, 
To be a candle-holder, and look on. Shakejpeare . 
CAN'DLE-LIGHT,/. Thelightofa candle.—In dark- 
nefs candlelight may ferve to guide men’s Heps, which to 
ufe in the day, were madnefs. Hooker. —The neceffiry can¬ 
dles for ufe, — I ffiallfind himcoalsand candlelight. Mdlineux. 
C AN'DLEBERRY-TREE,/! in botany. See M yrica. 
C AN'DLEMAS-D AY,_/". The feaft of the purification 
of the Bleffed Virgin Mary, being the (econd day of Fe¬ 
bruary, inffituted in memory and honour of the purifica¬ 
tion of the virgin in the temple of Jerufalem, and the pre- 
fentation of our bleffed Lord. It is called Candlemas, or 
a rnafs of candles, becaufe, before mafs was faid that day, 
the Romifh church confecrated and let apart, for (tiered 
ufe, candles for the whole year; and made a proceffion 
with hallowed candles, in remembrance of the divine light, 
wherewith our Saviour illuminated the whole church at 
his prefentation in the temple. This feffival is no day in 
court, for the judges fit not ; and it is the grand day in 
that term of all the inns of court, whereon the judges an¬ 
ciently obferved many ceremonies, and the focieties feem¬ 
ed to vie witii each other, in fumptuous entertainments, 
accompanied with mu.de, and almoft all kinds of diverfionsi 
CAN'DLEMAS ISLES, two i(lands in the South Pacific 
Ocean, difeovered by captain Cook in 1775. Lat. 57.10. S. 
Ion. 27. 30. W. Greenwich. 
C AN'DLESTICK, f. The indrument that holds can¬ 
dles— 
