The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-07-31
Candle Omens and SuperstitiOns.

Candle Omens and Superstitions.
The customs and superstitions con-
nected with candles are extremely nu-
merous. A letter in the London Times
of 25th March, 1873, relates to sales ''by
inch of candle" "When the bidding
is opened, a small candle-similar to q
vesta-is lighted; at each bid q new one
is lighted, and if no new bid is given be-
fore it goes out, a second, and on that
going out without a bid, a third candle
is lighted. The last bidder at the time
the third candle goes out is declared the
purchaser" In Pepys's Diary, under
the date 9Th November, 1850. we read :
''To our Office where We met all for the
sale of two ships by an inch of candle
the first time that T ever saw any Of this
~kind-where I observed how they do
invite one another, and atleast how they
all do cry, and we have much to do to
tell who did cry last" The word ''cry"
used here is evidently the same as our
modern word "bid." The custom, like
many another, has not wholly died out
in England, as the following from a
Bristol paper of the Doth March, 1878,
proves : "The practice Of letting by
inch of candle still prevails in the coun-
ty of Dorset. At the annual letting of
the parish meadow of Broadway, near
Weymouth, which occurred a few weeks
ago, an inch of candle was placed On q
piece of wood nine inches square, and
lighted by one of the parish officers.
The biddings were taken down by one
of the parish officers, and the chance of
taking the meadow was open toall while
the candle was burning. The last bid
der before the candle went out was the
incoming tenant. This year the candle
was extinguished suddenly"
Candle omens are numerous and vari-
GUS. Some are almost too well knownto
need mention, while a knowledge of
others is not 30 general. "a collection
of tallow," says Grose, "rising up
against the wick of a candle, is styled
the winding sheet, and deemed al omen
of death in the family" The same
writer tells US that a spark at the candle
denotes that the person opposite to it
will shortly receive a letter. To find to
twhom the letter is to come, according to
another popular superstition, the candle
stick should be struck on the table, and
whoever the spark fall opposite will
receive the letter. If it falls after one
knock, it comes the next day; after two,
the second day, and 80 on. A kind OF
fungus in the candle predicts the visit
of q stranger from that part of the u
try nearest the object. Upon this that
pedantic writer Sir Thomas Browne
observes: "The fungous parcels about
the wicks of candles only indicate a
moist and pluvious air, which hinders
the avolation of the light and f~ayillous
particles, %whereupon they settle upon
the snast. That candles and lights burn
blue and dim at the apparition of spirits
may be true, if the ambient air be full OF
sulphureous spirits, as it happens often
in mines" Candles when they burn
blue are a sign of a spirit in the house
or not far from it, says Melton IN his
"Astrologaster." And Hero says to
her lover in "Ovid Travestie: :"
"For last night late, to tell you true,
My candel as ] safe burnt blew,
Which put poor me in horrid fright,
And expectation OF black Bprlght,
With sawcer eyes, and horns, and tall"
Aud the following beautiful lines,
from the "Knight of the Burning Pes
tle," show the Significance of blush
burning candles
"Come, you whose.loves are dead,
And whiles I sing,
Weep and wiring
Every hand, and every head
Bind with cypress and sad yew:
Ribands black and candles blue
For him that was Of men most true.'
A candle burning blue seems, however,
to be, besides, a sign OF frost:
"Constable. My watch is set, charge given
and all ID peace,
But by the burning Of the candle blew,
Which I by chance espied through the Ian
And By the dropping of the Besdle's nose,
Candles ara said to be difficult to light
when there is an approach of wet wealth
or, and the same reason will cause their
wicks to swell and emit small excres-
cences. A person who burns three can
dies accidentally, and not by intention,
is supposed to secure for himself the
office Of sheriff before the expiration of
the year. The amiable Vicar Of Wake
field, referring to hib daughters wax
ing dreams, says, "The girls have their
omens too; they saw rings in the candle"
A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine,
1895, states that the Irish, when they
put out a candle, say, "May the Lord
renew or send us the light of heaven.
George Herbert also refers to the saying
in his "Country Parson." The Venet-
ians have a bit of folklore, which
reads: Son the wedding night leave
the candle burning, as the one who puts
it out will die first"