Lloyd's was then in Lombard Street, and indeed to this day, on Lloyd's policies, is stated that this policy shall have the same effect as if issued in Lombard Street. 'And it is agreed by us the Insurers, that this Writing or Policy of Assurance shall be of as much Force and Effect as the surest Writing or Policy of Assurance heretofore made in _Lombard Street_, or in the _Royal Exchange_, or elsewhere in _London_.' Both Steele[302] and Addison[303] mention this coffee-house; and for mercantile purposes it shared, with the Marine in Birchin Lane, the reputation of being the busiest. Here were sales of wine and ships, and the latter business is still transacted there. [Footnote 302: _Tatler_, 247.] [Footnote 303: _Spectator_, 46.] A curious custom obtained in this reign--that of selling goods, notably wines, by 'the Candle.' Pepys notes it in his diary as being new to him, so that it had not been long in vogue. Lloyd's and the Marine Coffee Houses were the principal places where these singular auctions were held. When the custom died out I cannot learn, but probably it was during the first quarter of this century. The latest account I can find of its being practised is in _The Saturday Bristol Times and Mirror_ of March 29, 1873. 'Sale by Candle. 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 a piece of board 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 to all while the candle was burning. The last bidder before the candle went out was the incoming tenant. This year the candle was extinguished suddenly. The land, about two acres in extent, was in 1624 presented to the poor by William Gould, the object of the gift being to keep the poor from working on the highways.' The custom, for aught I know, may still exist in some out-of-the-way places.