THE TALLOW-CHANDLER.

Thb business of a Tallow-chandler consists in making candles of suet or fat, and in selling them after they are made. In the country the trade of a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler are frequently combined, in London more rarely, In France, and in some other countries on the continent, the person who exercises the trade of a tallow-chandler is called by the more appropriate.ftarae of candle-maker.

A candle is composed of a cotton-wick, loosely twisted, and covered with tallow, wax, or spermaceti, in a cylindrical figure, which
being lighted at the end, serves to iUuminate the place m the absence of the sun.

The history of the making of candles is not less obscure than the history of some of the other trades which we have had occasion to
investigate. But that the tallow-chandler is a trade of ancient date we have every reason to believe: for in France, previous to the year 1450, the chandlers and grocers formed a tinted Mft&pany, and were in that year separated into their distinct professions, the chandlers being forbidden to sell grocery, or any other article but tftose belonging to their particular trade. The grocers, however, continued to sell candles till the year 1459, when they also were prohibited from meddling with the trade of the chandler.

Of the origin of this trade we have no account; but, we think that it is piainly discorerable at the present day in many remote country districts, where the farmers, for the commonest purposes, now use a dried rush, stripped of its exterior covering, and afterwards dipped in some melted fat. The rush is about twelve inches long, is lighted at one end like a candle ; but instead of being placed perpendicularly in a candlestick, is put obliquely in a notch, or spring, fixed so as to hold it tight. One of such rushes will perhaps,
burn ten minutes or a quarter of an hour and this, we doubt not, is the origin of candle-making.

The cotton used for dipped or common candles, is brought from Smyrna in the wool, which grows on trees in the shape of nuts,
the shells inclosing the cotton. The cotton for moulded candles comes from Turkey and the adjacent countries.

The tallow-chandler employs women to wind the cotton into large balls ; he then takes 'five, six, or eight of these bails, and drawing
out the threads from each, cuts them into proper lengths, according to the size of the candles wanted. The machine for cutting the
cotton is a smooth board, made to be fixed on the knees, on the upper surface are the blade of a razor and a round piece of cane, plaeed at a certain distance from one another, according to the length of the cotton wanted the cotton is carried round the cane, and being brought to the razor, is instantly separated from the several balls.

The next operation is denominated pulling the cotton, by which the threads are laid smooth, all knots and unevenness removed and, in short, the cotton is rendered fit for use. It is now spread, that is, placed at equal distances - on rods about half an inch in diameter, and three feet long ; these are called broaches.

A tallow-candle to be good must be composed of sheep's and bullock's tallow. The wick ought to be pure, sufficiently dry, and
properly twisted, otherwise the candle- will emit an inconstant vibratory flame, which is both prejudicial to the eyes and insufficient for the distinct illumination of objects.

There are two sorts of tallow-candles ; the one is dipped, the other moulded : the former are called common candles. The tallow is prepared by chopping the fat into small pieces, and then boiling it for sometime in a targe copper; when the tallow is extracted from
the membranes by the boiling, the remainder is subjected to the operation of a strong iron press, and the cake that is left after the tallow is expressed from it, is called greaves ; with this dogs are fed, and the greater part of the ducks that supply the London markets.

When the tallow is in proper order, the workman holds three of the broaches, with the cotton properly spread, between his fingers, and immerses the cotton into the vat, called a mould, containing the tallow; they are then hung on a frame, and suffered to cool ; and when cold, they are dipped again, and thus the process is continued till the candes are of a proper size. During the operation the vat is supplied from time to time with fresh tallow, which is stirred frequently, am kept to the proper heat by means of a gentle fire under it.

Such was the laborious method universally adopted in making common candles till within these fifteen or twenty years, when an invention was introduced. Three pulleys are let into a beam in the house ; round these proper-sized ropes run, and are fixed to a machine, on which six broaches are placed. In the scale are weights sufficient to draw up the broaches ; these are increased as the candles become larger and heavier. The workman, by means of this very simple and excellent contrivance, has only to guide the
candles, and not to support the weight of them between his fingers.

In the left-hand corner of the plate is the mould, in which the moulded candles are cast. The frame is of wood, and the several moulds are hollow metal cylinders, generally made of pewter, of the diameter and length of the candle wanted. At the extremity of these is the neck, which is a little cavity in form of a dome, having a moulding within side, and pierced in the middle with a hole big enough for tbe cotton to pass through. The cotton is introduced into the shaft of the mould, by a piece of wire being thrust through tbe apeture of the hook till it comes out of the neck; the other end of the cotton is so fastened as to keep it in a perpendicular situation, and in tbe middle of the candle; the moulds .are then filled with warm tallow, and left to be very cold before they can be drawn out of the pipes.

Besides these, there are other candles made by tallow-chandlers, intended to burn during the night without the necessity of snuffing;
the wick has been usually made of split rushes; but lately very small cotton wicks have been substituted for the rush; these are lighted much easier, are less liable to go out, and, owing to the smallness of the cotton do not require the aid of snuffers.

Large quantities of tallow are every year imported from Russia in casks, from which are manufactured soap and inferior candles.

The price of candles in London used formerly to be regulated by the master and wardens of the tallow-chandler's company, who
met at their hall in Dowgate-hill every month for the purpose. But now, the price of every article belonging to the trade is fixed at the weekly markets.

Common candles are subject to a duty of one penny per pound. Tallow-chandlers are obliged to take out an annual license; and are also under a variety of revenue regulations, which are frequently not a little troublesome.

The rush-lights before-mentioned, as being only once dipped, are specifically exempted from fhe duties as candles.

Journeymen generally board in their master's house, and receive from twenty to thirty pounds a year, exclusive of board. There are
also day-men, who work by the day, and are paid according to the number of candles made. Besides their common wages, it is the
custom of the trade to allow beer~maney.