The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-08-10
CANDLE OMENS AND SUPERSTI-
TI0NS


The customs and superstitions con-
nected with candles are extremely nu-
merous. A letter in the Lonion Times
of 25th March, 1878, relates to sales
"by inch of candles;' "When the bid
ding is opened. snail candle similar
to Vesta is lighted; at each bid new
one is lighted and if no new bid IS given
before it goes out, a second. and on
that going out without u bid, 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,
1860, we read: "To our Office where we
met all fer the sale of two ships by an
inch of candle-the first time that |
ever saw any of this kinI-where [ OBJ
served how they do invite one another,
and at least 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 anOth.
er, has not wholly did out in England,
as the following from Bristol paper of
the Goth March, 1878, proves: THE
practice of letting by inch of candle
still prevails in the county 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 piece of
wood nine inches square, aud llgh ted
by one of the parish officers. The bid
ding5 were taken down by one of the
parish officers, and :he chance of TAX
ing the meadow was open to all while
the candle was burning. The last bid
der before the candle went out was the
incoming tenant. This year the candle
was eXtlnguiShed suddenly"
Candle Omens are Humorous and vari
Gus. Some are almost too well known
to need mention, while a knowledge of
Others is not SO general. "a collection
OF talow," says GrOse, "risiug up
against the wick of a candle, Is styled
the winding -sleet, and deemed an omen
of death in the family" The same
writer tells us that a spark at the can.
die denotes that the person opposite to
1t will shortly receive letter, To find
to whom the letter is to come, accord,
ing to another popular superstition, the
table, and whoever the spark falls op.
pOsite will receive the letter. If il falls
after one knock, it comes the next day;
after two, the second day, and so on.
A kind of fungus in the candle predicts
the visit of stranger from that part of
the country nearest the object. Upon
this that pedantic writer Sir Thomas
Browne observes: "Iho funguu5 par
GELS about the wicks Of candles only
indicate moist and pluyious air, which
hinders the ayOlatiOn of the light ami
taylllous particles, whereupOn they set
tie upon the snast. That candles and
lights burn blue and dim at the appari.
ton Of spirits may be true, il the am
bient air be full Of sulphureous spirits,
as it happens often in mines" Can
dies when they burn blue are sign of
a spirit in the house or not far from it,
says Melton, in his "Astrologaster. I"
And Hero says to her lover in "Ovid
TiaVestie :"
-" For last night late, to ten v0u true.
N c3hue as l sat burnt b ew.
which put poor me IN nOiTld lr Pht
Aud expectation Of JlacE spught.
with sa"cer eyes, and horns. and tail"
And the following beautiful lines,
from the "Knight of tho Burning Pes4
tie" show the significance Of blush
burning candles:
Como, you whose lovers are dead,
Aud whiles sing,
Weep aud wiring
Every hlUd ana every mead
u ud with cypress and SAD NeW 4;
hlnlLds blaca a. candles D 10
tJr hliu TINT was of men most true"
a candle burning blue seems. however.
to be, besides, a sign of frost
" tomta5lc 1Iy watch is set, charge given
am all m peace.
But Ay The uUIning OF the cqud.e blew
Mhlch ly chIucs uspieG tlrOugh the Ian
tn Flc,
Aud by The d.oppng OF the Beadle's nose,
1 slueL a II. 50 %
Candles are said to be difficult to
light when there is an approach OF wet
weather, and the same reason will cause
their wicks TO swell and emit small ex-
cTeScences. A person who burns three
candles accidentally, aud not by lnten~
ton, is supposed to secure for himself
the office OF sheriff before tho eXu,ra-
ton Of the year The amable Vicar OF
Wakefield retiring to bis daughters