December 30, 2024
Community

Lime Light

At this time of year, in this country, we are utterly dependent on artificial light. We have to turn lights on to see where we wish to go, turn table lamps on to create a warm cosy atmosphere and to read by and turn the car lights on to see the way ahead.

Imagine living in the Highclere of 150 years ago, or 500 years ago or 1000 years ago. It would have been dark for 16 hours of each day and we would have had to rely on candlelight or firelight, moonlight or starlight to move around, sit and talk to people or cook a meal.

One of the first steps forward was invented by a Scottish engineer Capt. Thomas Drummond in about 1825. Following on from the work of others, Drummond invented a form of brilliant light created by the incandescence of lime – “calcium light, torch that burns calcium oxide (lime) and gives off intense white light”. At first it was called Drummond light and used for lighthouses but was later adapted to use on the Victorian stage, where it illuminated the principal actors. It became known as limelight and from thence came the figurative use of the phrase “in the limelight “on stage meaning the centre of attention.

It could also be used to create special effects such as sunlight or moonlight. However, it had to be monitored very carefully as it burned as it was a major fire hazard. By the end of the 19th century most theatres switched to the much safer light source – electricity but the expression “in the limelight,” still remains in use today.

Much of our language is about finding the light, looking for the first light of the day and so on. I may well be hoping for a lightbulb moment for my next Instagram idea and far better to send a tricky email in the cold light of day when calm clear thoughts with less emotion will help steer a challenging situation.

Today we have a better scientific understanding of visible light: visible radiation in scientific parlance – electromagnetic radiation which can be perceived by the human eye. For centuries we tried to calculate its speed, work out how it bends and turn refraction into mathematical expressions.

Perhaps we take light for granted now that it is so matter of fact. We control it with the flick of switch and take it utterly for granted until a storm brings down the power lines. We use up natures’ assets to light up the world without thinking that perhaps we do not need to light up things as much as we do. We forget to value darkness or the fact that lights seem to shine brighter in darkness.

From the dawn of time much of our storytelling, thought and idiom turns around the concept of light.  Whether in Egyptian mythology or Norse legend or Bible stories, the world began in swirling dark voids and then there was light. Marking the New Year once more such thoughts eddy round us as we reach for hope, peace and some sort of light to show us the way.

Perhaps we think about our New Year’s resolutions to be nice to each other – “all sweetness and light” as we fall asleep at the end of each day and go “out like a light”.

Happy New Year