BLYTH INDUSTRIES INC
8-K, 1999-09-28
MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) September 28, 1999,
                                                       -------------------


                             BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


   Delaware                         1-13026                      36-2984916
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other                   (Commission                  (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                   File Number)               Identification No.)
incorporation)


            100 Field Point Road, Greenwich, Connecticut    06830
            --------------------------------------------------------
            (Address of principal executive offices)      (Zip Code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (203) 661-1926
                                                           --------------


                                 Not Applicable
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

<PAGE>



Item 5.  Other Events

         On May 4, 1999, Blyth Industries, Inc. (the "Company") filed a
registration statement (File No. 333-77721) on Form S-3 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto
filed with the Commission on May 12, 1999 relating to the public offering,
pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to
$250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company's debt securities (the
"Registration Statement"). On May 14, 1999, the commission declared the
Registration Statement effective. (The Registration Statement and prospectus
contained therein are referred to as the "Prospectus").

         The Company filed, on September 22, 1999, a preliminary supplement
dated September 17, 1999 to the Prospectus, which was subject to completion,
and, on the date hereof, a supplement to the Prospectus dated September 24,
1999, each relating to the issuance and sale of up to $150,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Company's 7.90% Senior Notes due October 1, 2009
(collectively, the "Prospectus Supplement") with the Commission. In connection
with the filing of the Prospectus Supplement with the Commission, the Company is
filing certain exhibits as part of this Form 8-K. See "Item 7, Financial
Statements, pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits."

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

         (c)      Exhibits

                  1.1      Underwriting Agreement dated September 24, 1999 by
                           and among the Company, Warburg Dillon Read LLC,
                           Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
                           and Banc of America Securities LLC relating to the
                           issuance and sale by the Company of up to
                           $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the
                           Company's 7.90% Senior Notes due October 1, 2009.

                  4.1      Form of First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as
                           of September 29, 1999 between the Company and First
                           Union National Bank, as Trustee.

                  5.1      Opinion of Finn Dixon & Herling LLP, counsel to the
                           Company.

                  23.1     Consent of Finn Dixon & Herling LLP, counsel to the
                           Company (contained in Item 5.1).


<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                     BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.



Date: September 28, 1999             By: /s/ Bruce D. Kreiger
                                         -----------------------------------
                                     Name: Bruce D. Kreiger
                                     Title: Vice President & General Counsel



<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 1.1













                             BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                  $150,000,000

                           7.90% Senior Notes due 2009

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT















September 24, 1999

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                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                              September 24, 1999
WARBURG DILLON READ LLC
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
c/o Warburg Dillon Read LLC
299 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10171-0026

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Blyth Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule A annexed
hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom Warburg Dillon Read LLC ("WDR") and
Donaldson, Lufkin& Jenrette Securities Corporation ("DLJ") are acting as co-lead
Managing Underwriters, $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.90%
Senior Notes due 2009 (the "Senior Notes"). The Senior Notes are described in
the Prospectus Supplement which is referred to below.

         The Senior Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture (the
"Indenture"), dated as of May 20, 1999, between the Company and First Union
National Bank, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The term "Indenture," as used herein,
includes the First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of September 29, 1999,
between the Company and the Trustee establishing the form and terms of the
Senior Notes pursuant to Section 2.01 of the Indenture. Copies of the Indenture,
in substantially final form, have been delivered to each of the Underwriters.

         The registration statement referred to below, as amended when it became
effective, including all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated by
reference therein, and including information (if any) contained in a prospectus
subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") pursuant to Rule424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively called the
"Act") and deemed to be a part of the registration statement at the time of
effectiveness (the "Effective Date") pursuant to Rule430A under the Act and also
including any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule462(b) under the Act,
is herein called the "Registration Statement". "Basic Prospectus" means the
prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, contained
in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date. "Preliminary Final
Prospectus" means any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus,
including all documents incorporated therein by reference, which describes the
Senior Notes and the offering thereof and is used prior to filing of the Final
Prospectus with the Commission. "Final Prospectus" means the prospectus
supplement, including all documents incorporated


<PAGE>

therein by reference, relating to the Senior Notes that is first filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule424(b) under the Act, together with the Basic
Prospectus included in the Registration Statement. "Execution Time" means the
date and time that this agreement is executed and delivered by the parties
hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, Preliminary Final Prospectus, Final Prospectus or to any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include the copy filed
with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

         The Company and the Underwriters agree as follows:

         1. SALE AND PURCHASE: Upon the basis of the representations and
warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the respective Underwriters and each of the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, the aggregate
principal amount of Senior Notes set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter
in Schedule A attached hereto in each case at a purchase price of 98.433% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from September 29, 1999
to the time of purchase (as hereinafter defined). The Company is advised by you
that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of their respective
portions of the Senior Notes as soon after the Execution Time as in your
judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Senior Notes upon the
terms set forth in the Final Prospectus. You may from time to time increase or
decrease the public offering price after the initial public offering to such
extent as you may determine.

         2. PAYMENT AND DELIVERY: Payment of the purchase price for the Senior
Notes shall be made to the Company by Federal funds wire transfer, against
delivery of the certificates for the Senior Notes to you through the facilities
of the Depository Trust Company ("DTC") for the respective accounts of the
Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York
City time, on September 29, 1999 (unless another time not later than October 13,
1999 shall be agreed to by you and the Company or unless postponed in accordance
with the provisions of Section 8 hereof). The time at which such payment and
delivery are actually made is hereinafter sometimes called the "time of
purchase". Certificates for the Senior Notes shall be delivered to you in
definitive form in such names and in such denominations as you shall specify.
For the purpose of expediting the checking of the certificates for the Senior
Notes by you, the Company agrees to make such certificates available to you for
such purpose at least one full business day preceding the time of purchase. As
used herein "business day" shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading.

         3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY: The Company
represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters that:

                  (a) The Company meets the requirements for the use of Form S-3
         under the Act. The Company has filed with the Commission, in accordance
         with the provisions of the Act, a registration statement on Form S-3
         (File No. 333-


<PAGE>

         77721), including a Basic Prospectus, which incorporates by reference
         documents which the Company has filed or will file in accordance with
         the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
         the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively called the "Exchange
         Act"). The Company has filed one amendment thereto, a conformed copy of
         which has previously been furnished to you. Such registration
         statement, as so amended, has become effective. The Company has used a
         Preliminary Final Prospectus, which has previously been furnished to
         you. The Company will timely file the Final Prospectus with the
         Commission pursuant to Rule 415 and Rule 424(b) (2), (3) or (5) under
         the Act. As filed, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material
         respects to the applicable requirements of the Act in all substantive
         respects and will be in the form thereof furnished to you prior to the
         Execution Time.

                  (b) The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any
         order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any
         Preliminary Final Prospectus, or instituting proceedings for that
         purpose. Each Preliminary Final Prospectus, at the time of filing
         thereof, conformed in all material respects to the applicable
         requirements of the Act. On the Effective Date the Registration
         Statement complied, and on the date hereof and on the date when first
         filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Act
         the Final Prospectus complied and will comply, in all material respects
         with the applicable provisions of the Act, the Exchange Act and the
         Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"). On
         the Effective Date the Registration Statement did not contain an untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
         to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
         therein not misleading. On the Effective Date and at the time of
         purchase the Indenture complied and will comply in all material
         respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.
         On the date hereof, on the date of any filing thereof pursuant to Rule
         424(b) under the Act and at the time of purchase, the Final Prospectus
         did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
         omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
         in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
         misleading. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration
         Statement and the Final Prospectus, at the time they were filed with
         the Commission, complied in all material respects with the applicable
         requirements of the Exchange Act and did not contain an untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
         to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
         light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
         Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
         required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Final
         Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
         have been so described or filed or incorporated by reference. In making
         the representations and warranties in this Section 3(b), the Company
         makes no representation or warranty as to (i) that part of the
         Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility
         and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture
         Act or (ii)


<PAGE>

         the information with respect to the Underwriters contained in or
         omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus in
         reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
         to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through WDR or DLJ or
         their counsel specifically for use in connection with the preparation
         of the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus.

                  (c) As of July 31, 1999, the Company had an authorized
         capitalization as set forth under the heading entitled "Actual" in the
         section of the Final Prospectus entitled "Capitalization". All of the
         issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
         duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
         non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and
         state securities laws and were not issued in violation of any
         preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar
         right.

                  (d) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
         of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and
         operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the
         Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus. The Company is duly
         qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in
         each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or
         the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
         the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on
         the business, properties, financial condition, results of operation or
         prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 405
         under the Act) taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").

                  (e) The Company has no subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 405
         under the Act) other than the entities identified in Exhibit 21 to the
         Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January
         31, 1999 (collectively, the "Subsidiaries"). Other than the
         Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any
         shares of stock or any other equity or long-term debt securities of any
         corporation or have any equity interest in any firm, partnership, joint
         venture, association or other entity that are material to the Company
         and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Each Subsidiary has been duly
         incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
         under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with full
         corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
         and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement
         and the Final Prospectus. Each Subsidiary that is a significant
         subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 of the Act, each referred to herein
         as a "Significant Subsidiary") is duly qualified to do business as a
         foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where
         the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its
         business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so
         qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the
         outstanding shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary have


<PAGE>

         been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
         non-assessable and are owned by the Company subject to no security
         interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims. There are no outstanding
         options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other
         obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligation into
         shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the Significant
         Subsidiaries.

                  (f) Complete and correct copies of the certificates of
         incorporation and of the bylaws of the Company and the Significant
         Subsidiaries have previously been made available to you and no changes
         therein will be made subsequent to the Execution Time and prior to the
         time of purchase. Neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is
         in breach of or in default under, nor has any event occurred that with
         notice or lapse of time or both would result in any breach of or
         constitute a default under, its respective charter or by-laws or in the
         performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
         condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank
         loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any
         lease, contract or other agreement or instrument, to which the Company
         or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of
         their properties is bound except for such breaches or defaults as would
         not have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (g) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the Indenture and the issuance of the Senior Notes and consummation
         of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict
         with, or result in any breach of or constitute a default under, nor
         constitute an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would
         result in any breach of or constitute a default under, any provisions
         of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any
         provision of any license, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan
         or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease,
         contract or other agreement or instrument, to which the Company or any
         Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them or their respective
         properties may be bound or affected, or under any federal, state, local
         or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order
         applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary.

                  (h) The Indenture has been duly and validly authorized by the
         Company and when duly executed and delivered by the Company, will be a
         legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in
         accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be
         limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent
         conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
         generally and general principles of equity. The Indenture, when
         executed and delivered, will conform in all material respects to the
         description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the
         Final Prospectus.


<PAGE>

                  (i) The Senior Notes have been duly and validly authorized for
         issuance and sale to the Underwriters by the Company and, when issued
         and delivered by the Company against payment by the Underwriters and
         duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of this
         Agreement and the Indenture, will constitute legal, valid and binding
         obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
         and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
         except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
         insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or
         similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general
         principles of equity. The Senior Notes, when issued, authenticated and
         delivered, will conform in all material respects to the descriptions
         thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Final
         Prospectus.

                  (j) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
         delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding
         obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
         accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be
         limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent
         conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
         generally and general principles of equity.

                  (k) No approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing
         with any national, state or local governmental or regulatory
         commission, board, body, authority or agency is required in connection
         with the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes or the consummation by
         the Company of the transactions as contemplated hereby other than
         registration of the Senior Notes under the Act, qualification of the
         Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and any necessary qualification
         under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in
         which the Senior Notes are being offered by the Underwriters or under
         the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities
         Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").

                  (l) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Grant Thornton LLP, whose
         reports on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
         Subsidiaries are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration
         Statement and Final Prospectus, are independent public accountants as
         required by the Act.

                  (m) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary has all
         necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made
         all necessary filings required under any federal, state, local or
         foreign law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all necessary
         authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, in order to
         conduct its respective business, the failure to have, make or obtain
         which would have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any
         Subsidiary is in violation of, or in default under, any such license,
         authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or
         foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment
         applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the effect of
         which could have a Material Adverse Effect.


<PAGE>

                  (n) All legal or governmental proceedings, contracts, leases
         or documents of a character required to be described in the
         Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or to be filed as an
         exhibit to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed
         as required or incorporated by reference.

                  (o) Other than as set forth in the Basic Prospectus, the
         Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, there are no
         actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending or, to
         the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of
         its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers is a party or of
         which any of their respective properties is the subject, at law or in
         equity, or before or by any federal, state, local or foreign
         governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or
         agency, which could result in a judgment, decree or order having a
         Material Adverse Effect or preventing consummation of the transactions
         contemplated hereby.

                  (p) The audited financial statements included in the
         Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus present fairly the
         consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as
         of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations and
         changes in financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries for
         the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in
         conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
         consistent basis during the periods involved.

                  (q) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
         is given in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, there
         has not been: (i) any material adverse change, or any development
         which, in the Company's reasonable judgment, is likely to cause a
         material adverse change, in the business, properties or assets
         described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Final
         Prospectus, or the results of operations or financial condition of the
         Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) any transaction
         that is material to the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
         except transactions in the ordinary course of business; (iii) any
         obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and
         its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or its
         Subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of
         business; (iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding
         indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries; or (v) any dividend or
         distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of
         the Company. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has any material
         contingent obligation that is required to be disclosed in the
         Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus and is not so
         disclosed.

         4. CERTAIN COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY: The Company agrees with the
several Underwriters that:


<PAGE>

                  (a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Senior
         Notes, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration
         Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any
         Preliminary Final Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus subsequent to the
         date hereof unless the Company has furnished a copy to you for your
         review for a reasonable time prior to filing, and will not file any
         such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object.
         Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final
         Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed
         with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
         under the Act within the time period prescribed and will provide
         evidence satisfactory to you of such timely filing. The Company
         promptly will advise you and, if requested by you, confirm such advice
         in writing (i) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Senior
         Notes, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been
         filed or shall become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission
         for any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the
         Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) of the
         issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
         effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any stop order
         suspending the use of the Final Prospectus or the institution or
         threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (iv) of the issuance
         by any state securities commission or other regulatory authority of any
         stop order or order suspending the qualification of any of the Senior
         Notes for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of
         any proceeding for such purpose by any state securities commission or
         other regulatory authority. The Company shall use its commercially
         reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of such stop order and,
         if issued, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable best
         efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the
         earliest possible time.

                  (b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Senior
         Notes is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a
         result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include
         an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
         fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it
         shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement
         the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, the
         Company shall promptly notify the Underwriters of such event and
         promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first
         sentence of Section 4(a), an appropriate amendment or supplement which
         will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

                  (c) The Company will furnish such information as may be
         required and otherwise reasonably cooperate in qualifying the Senior
         Notes for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of
         such states as you may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
         effect as long as required for the distribution of the Senior Notes.
         The Company, however, will not be required to


<PAGE>

         qualify as a foreign corporation or to consent to the service of
         process under the laws of any such state (except service of process
         with respect to the offering and sale of the Senior Notes).

                  (d) The Company will, as soon as practicable after the
         Execution Time, and thereafter from time to time, cause to be furnished
         to the Underwriters and those persons identified by the Underwriters,
         without charge, as many copies of the Final Prospectus (or of the Final
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made
         any amendments or supplements thereto after the Execution Time) as the
         Underwriters may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by
         the Act. The Company consents to the use of the Preliminary Final
         Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
         thereto by the Underwriters in connection with the public sale of the
         Senior Notes. If applicable, the Final Prospectus and any amendments or
         supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to
         the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
         pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                  (e) Subject to the first sentence of Section 4(a), the Company
         will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information
         statement required to be filed by the Company with the Commission in
         order to comply with the Exchange Act subsequent to the Execution Time
         and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in
         connection with the offering or sale of the Senior Notes and will
         notify you of such filing.

                  (f) If necessary or appropriate, the Company will file a
         registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act.

                  (g) The Company will furnish to you and, upon request, to each
         of the other Underwriters for a period of three years from the date of
         this Agreement, copies of (i) any reports or other communications which
         the Company sends to its stockholders and (ii) such other reports and
         information as you may reasonably request in writing.

                  (h) The Company will make generally available to its security
         holders, and deliver to you, an earnings statement of the Company
         (which will satisfy the provisions of Section11(a) of the Act) covering
         a period of 12 months beginning after the Effective Date as soon as is
         reasonably practicable after the termination of such 12-month period
         but not later than January 31, 2001.

                  (i) The Company will furnish to you four signed copies of the
         Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, and of
         all amendments thereto (including all exhibits thereto and documents
         incorporated by reference therein). The copies of the Registration
         Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will
         be identical to the electronically


<PAGE>

         transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR,
         except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

                  (j) The Company will furnish to you as early as practicable
         prior to the time of purchase, but no later than two business days
         prior thereto, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim
         consolidated financial statements, if any, of the Company and its
         Subsidiaries which have been read by the Company's independent
         certified public accountants, as stated in their letter to be furnished
         pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof.

                  (k) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of
         the Senior Notes in the manner set forth under the caption "Use of
         Proceeds" in the Final Prospectus.

                  (l) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this
         Agreement are consummated or this Agreement becomes effective or is
         terminated, the Company will pay all reasonable costs, expenses, fees
         and taxes (other than fees and disbursements of counsel for the
         Underwriters except as set forth under Section 5 hereof and clauses
         (iv) and (vi) below) in connection with: (i) the preparation by the
         Company and filing of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary
         Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and any amendments or
         supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each
         thereof to the Underwriters and to dealers (including costs of mailing
         and shipment); (ii) the preparation, issuance, execution,
         authentication and delivery of the Senior Notes; (iii) the producing,
         word processing or printing of this Agreement, any dealer agreements,
         any Powers of Attorney and any other closing documents (including
         compilations thereof), the Indenture, and the reproduction or printing
         and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and
         (except closing documents) to dealers (including costs of mailing and
         shipment); (iv) the qualification of the Senior Notes for offering and
         sale under state laws and the determination of their eligibility for
         investment under state law as aforesaid (including the reasonable legal
         fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel for the
         Underwriters) and the printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky
         surveys or legal investment surveys to the Underwriters and to dealers;
         (v) any fees payable to investment rating agencies with respect to the
         Senior Notes; (vi) any filing for review of the public offering of the
         Senior Notes by the NASD; and (vii) the performance of the Company's
         other obligations hereunder.

                  (m) The Company will do and perform all things required to be
         done and performed under this Agreement prior to or after the Execution
         Time and use its best efforts to satisfy all conditions precedent on
         its part to deliver the Senior Notes.


<PAGE>

         5. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES: If the Senior Notes are not
delivered for any reason other than the termination of this Agreement pursuant
to Section 8 hereof or the default by one or more of the Underwriters in its or
their respective obligations hereunder, the Company, in addition to paying the
amounts described in Section 4(l) hereof, will reimburse the Underwriters for
all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees
and disbursements of their counsel.

         6. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS: The several obligations of
the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations
and warranties on the part of the Company on the date hereof and at the time of
purchase, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the
following additional conditions precedent:

                  (a) The Company shall furnish to you at the time of purchase
         an opinion of Bruce D. Kreiger, Esq., Vice President, Secretary and
         General Counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and
         dated the time of purchase, with reproduced copies thereof for each of
         the other Underwriters and in form satisfactory to Gibson, Dunn &
         Crutcher LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, stating that:

                           (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and
                  authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct
                  its business as described in the Registration Statement and
                  the Final Prospectus and to issue, sell and deliver the Senior
                  Notes as herein contemplated. The Company is duly qualified to
                  do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in each
                  jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties
                  or the conduct of its business requires such qualification,
                  except where the failure to so qualify would not have a
                  Material Adverse Effect.

                           (ii) Each Significant Subsidiary has been duly
                  incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
                  standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
                  incorporation, with full corporate power and authority to own,
                  lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
                  as described in the Registration Statement and the Final
                  Prospectus. Each Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified to
                  do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing
                  in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its
                  properties or the conduct of its business requires such
                  qualification, except where the failure to so qualify would
                  not have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the outstanding
                  shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary have
                  been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
                  non-assessable and are owned by the Company subject to no
                  perfected security interest. There are no outstanding options,
                  warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or


<PAGE>

                  other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any
                  obligation into shares of capital stock or ownership interests
                  in the Significant Subsidiaries.

                           (iii) As of July 31, 1999, the Company had an
                  authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration
                  Statement and the Final Prospectus. All of the issued and
                  outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
                  duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
                  non-assessable and were not issued in violation of any
                  preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or
                  similar right.

                           (iv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, neither
                  the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is in breach of or
                  in default under, nor has any event occurred that with notice
                  or lapse of time or both would result in any breach of or
                  constitute a default under, its respective charter or by-laws
                  or in the performance or observance of any obligation,
                  agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
                  mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or
                  other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease, contract or
                  other agreement or instrument, to which the Company or any of
                  its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of
                  them or any of their properties is bound except for such
                  breaches or defaults as would not have a Material Adverse
                  Effect.

                           (v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
                  Company and each Significant Subsidiary has all necessary
                  licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made
                  all necessary filings required under any federal, state, local
                  or foreign law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all
                  necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from other
                  persons, in order to conduct its respective business the
                  failure to have, make or obtain which would have a Material
                  Adverse Effect. To the best of such counsel's knowledge,
                  neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is in
                  violation of, or in default under, any such license,
                  authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state,
                  local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order
                  or judgment applicable to the Company or any of its
                  Subsidiaries, the effect of which could have a Material
                  Adverse Effect.

                           (vi) The execution, delivery and performance of this
                  Agreement and the Indenture and the issuance of the Senior
                  Notes and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
                  and thereby will not conflict with, or result in any breach of
                  or constitute a default under, nor constitute any event that
                  with notice or lapse of time or both would result in any
                  breach of or constitute a default under, (A) any provision of
                  the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Significant
                  Subsidiary or (B) any provision of any license, indenture,
                  mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or
                  other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease, contract or
                  other


<PAGE>

                  agreement or instrument, known to such counsel to which the
                  Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party or by which
                  any of them or their respective properties may be bound or
                  affected, or, to the knowledge of such counsel, under any
                  federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or
                  any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any
                  Significant Subsidiary.

                  (b) The Company shall furnish to you an opinion of Finn, Dixon
         & Herling LLP stating that:

                           (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
                  validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
                  laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and
                  authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct
                  its business as described in the Registration Statement and
                  the Final Prospectus and to issue, sell and deliver the Senior
                  Notes as herein contemplated.

                           (ii) This Agreement has been duly authorized,
                  executed and delivered by the Company.

                           (iii) The Indenture has been duly authorized,
                  executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due
                  authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee, is the
                  legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable
                  in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability
                  thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
                  reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
                  creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity.

                           (iv) The Senior Notes have been duly authorized by
                  the Company and when executed and delivered by the Company and
                  authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and delivered
                  to and paid for by the Underwriters will constitute legal,
                  valid and binding obligations of the Company in accordance
                  with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be
                  limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
                  or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and
                  general principles of equity.

                           (v) The Senior Notes and the Indenture conform in all
                  material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
                  Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus.

                           (vi) No approval, authorization, consent or order of
                  or filing with any national, state or local governmental or
                  regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency is
                  required in connection with the


<PAGE>

                  issuance and sale of the Senior Notes or the consummation by
                  the Company of the transactions as contemplated hereby other
                  than registration of the Senior Notes under the Act,
                  qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act
                  and any necessary qualification under the securities or blue
                  sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Senior
                  Notes are being offered by the Underwriters or under the rules
                  and regulations of the National Association of Securities
                  Dealers, Inc.
                  ("NASD").

                           (vii) The Company meets the requirements for the use
                  of Form S-3 under the Act. The Registration Statement has
                  become effective under the Act and, to the best of such
                  counsel's knowledge, no stop order proceedings with respect
                  thereto are pending or threatened under the Act. Any required
                  filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 under the
                  Act has been made in the manner and within the time period
                  required by such Rule 424.

                           (viii) The Registration Statement and the Final
                  Prospectus (except as to the financial statements and
                  schedules and other financial and statistical data contained
                  or incorporated by reference therein and the Trustee's
                  Statement of Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1, as to
                  which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form
                  in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
                  the Trust Indenture Act.

                           (ix) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
                  are no contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents of
                  a character which are required to be filed as exhibits to the
                  Registration Statement or to be summarized or described in the
                  Final Prospectus which have not been so filed, summarized or
                  described. Any statutes or regulations that are required to be
                  described in the Registration Statement or the Final
                  Prospectus have been so described or incorporated therein by
                  reference. To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are
                  no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings
                  pending or threatened or contemplated to which the Company or
                  any of its Subsidiaries is subject or of which any of their
                  respective properties is the subject at law or in equity
                  before or by any Federal, state, local or foreign governmental
                  or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency
                  which are required to be described in the Final Prospectus but
                  are not so described.

                           (x) The documents incorporated by reference in the
                  Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, at the time
                  they were filed with the Commission, (except as to the
                  financial statements and schedules and other financial and
                  statistical data contained or incorporated by reference
                  therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)


<PAGE>

                  complied in all material respects with the requirements of the
                  Exchange Act.

                           (xi) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the
                  Trust Indenture Act.

                           (xii) The Company will not, upon consummation of the
                  transactions contemplated by this Agreement, be an "investment
                  company," or a "promoter" or "principal underwriter" for, a
                  "registered investment company," as such terms are defined in
                  the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

                           (xiii) Such counsel has participated in conferences
                  with officers and other representatives of the Company,
                  representatives of the independent public accountants of the
                  Company and representatives of the Underwriters at which the
                  contents of the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus
                  were discussed, and although such counsel is not passing upon
                  and does not assume responsibility for the accuracy,
                  completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
                  Registration Statement or Final Prospectus (except as and to
                  the extent stated in clauses (v) and (ix) above), on the basis
                  of the foregoing nothing has come to the attention of such
                  counsel that causes them to believe that the Registration
                  Statement or any amendment thereto at the time such
                  Registration Statement or amendment became effective contained
                  an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
                  material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
                  make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Final
                  Prospectus or any supplement thereto at the date of such Final
                  Prospectus or such supplement, and at all times up to and
                  including the time of purchase contained an untrue statement
                  of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
                  necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
                  circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it
                  being understood that such counsel need express no opinion
                  with respect to the financial statements and schedules and
                  other financial and statistical data included in the
                  Registration Statement or Final Prospectus or with respect to
                  the Trustee's Statement of Eligibility and Qualification on
                  Form T-1).

                  (c) You shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
         letters dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and the
         time of purchase, and addressed to the Underwriters (with reproduced
         copies for each of the other Underwriters) in substantially the form
         attached hereto as Exhibit B as approved by WDR, DLJ and
         PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

                  (d) You shall have received at the time of purchase the
         favorable opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel for the
         Underwriters, dated the time of purchase.


<PAGE>

                  (e) Prior to the time of purchase: (i) no stop order with
         respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have
         been issued under the Act or proceedings initiated under Section 8(d)
         or 8(e) of the Act; (ii) the Registration Statement and all amendments
         thereto, or modifications thereof, if any, shall not contain an untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
         to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
         misleading; and (iii) the Final Prospectus and all amendments or
         supplements thereto, or modifications thereof, if any, shall not
         contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a
         material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
         the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

                  (f) Between the time of execution of this Agreement and the
         time of purchase (i) no material and unfavorable change, financial or
         otherwise (other than as referred to in the Registration Statement and
         the Final Prospectus), in the business, condition or prospects of the
         Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall occur or become
         known and (ii) no transaction that is material and unfavorable to the
         Company shall have been entered into by the Company or any of its
         Significant Subsidiaries.

                  (g) The Company will, at the time of purchase, deliver to you
         a certificate signed by two of its executive officers to the effect
         that (i) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
         this Agreement are true and correct as of such date, (ii) the Company
         has performed such of its obligations under this Agreement as are to be
         performed at or before the time of purchase and (iii) the conditions
         set forth in Section 6(e) and (f) have been met.

                  (h) The Company shall have furnished to you such other
         documents and certificates as to the accuracy and completeness of any
         statement in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus as of
         the time of purchase as you may reasonably request.

                  (i) Between the time of execution of this Agreement and the
         time of purchase there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor
         shall any notice or announcement have been given or made of (i) any
         intended or potential downgrading or (ii) any review or possible change
         that does not indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded any
         securities of or guaranteed by the Company or any Subsidiary by any
         "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as that term
         is defined in Rule436(g)(2) under the Act.

         7. TERMINATION: The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder
shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of you or any group
of Underwriters (which may include you) which has agreed to purchase in the
aggregate at least 50% of the Senior Notes if, since the time of execution of
this Agreement or the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus: (y) there


<PAGE>

has been any material adverse and unfavorable change, financial or otherwise
(other than as referred to in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus),
in the operations, business, condition or prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, which would, in your judgment or in the judgment
of such group of Underwriters, make it impracticable to market the Senior Notes;
or (z) there shall have occurred any downgrading, or any notice shall have been
given of (i) any intended or potential downgrading or (ii) any review or
possible change that does not indicate an improvement in the rating accorded any
securities of or guaranteed by the Company or any Subsidiary by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization," as that term is defined in Rule
436(g)(2) under the Act or if, at any time prior to the time of purchase,
trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or limitations
or minimum prices shall have been established on the New York Stock Exchange,
the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, or if a banking
moratorium shall have been declared either by the United States or New York
State authorities, or if the United States shall have declared war in accordance
with its constitutional processes or there shall have occurred any material
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international
calamity or crisis of such magnitude in its effect on the financial markets of
the United States as, in your judgment or in the judgment of such group of
Underwriters, to make it impracticable to market the Senior Notes.

         If you or any group of Underwriters elects to terminate this Agreement
as provided in this Section 7, the Company and each other Underwriter shall be
notified promptly.

         If the sale to the Underwriters of the Senior Notes, as contemplated by
this Agreement, is not carried out by the Underwriters for any reason permitted
under this Agreement or if such sale is not carried out because the Company
shall be unable to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, the Company
shall not be under any obligation or liability under this Agreement (except to
the extent provided in Sections 4(l), 5 and 9), and the Underwriters shall be
under no obligation or liability to the Company under this Agreement (except to
the extent provided in Section 9) or to one another hereunder.

         8. INCREASE IN UNDERWRITERS' COMMITMENTS: Subject to Sections 6 and 7,
if any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to take up and pay for the
Senior Notes to be purchased by it hereunder (otherwise than for a reason
sufficient to justify the termination of this Agreement under the provisions of
Section 7) and if the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes which all
Underwriters so defaulting shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for
does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes, the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall take up and pay for (in addition to the
aggregate number of Senior Notes they are obligated to purchase pursuant to
Section 1) the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes agreed to be purchased
by all such defaulting Underwriters, as hereinafter provided. Such Senior Notes
shall be taken up


<PAGE>

and paid for by such non-defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in such amount
or amounts as you may designate with the consent of each Underwriter so
designated or, in the event no such designation is made, such Senior Notes shall
be taken up and paid for by all non-defaulting Underwriters pro rata in
proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes set forth opposite
the names of such non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule A.

         Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder, the Company agrees with the non-defaulting Underwriters that it will
not sell any Senior Notes hereunder unless all of the Senior Notes are purchased
by the Underwriters (or by substituted Underwriters selected by you with the
approval of the Company or selected by the Company with your approval).

         If a new Underwriter or Underwriters are substituted by the
Underwriters or by the Company for a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in
accordance with the foregoing provision, the Company or you shall have the right
to postpone the time of purchase for a period not exceeding five business days
in order that any necessary changes in the Registration Statement and Final
Prospectus and other documents may be effected.

         The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall refer to and
include any Underwriter substituted under this Section 8 with like effect as if
such substituted Underwriter had originally been named in Schedule A.

         If the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase exceeds 10% of the total
principal amount of Senior Notes which all Underwriters agreed to purchase
hereunder, and if neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall
make arrangements within the five business day period stated above for the
purchase of all the Senior Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, this Agreement shall be terminated
without further act and without any liability on the part of the Company to any
non-defaulting Underwriter and without any liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter to the Company. Nothing in this paragraph, and no
action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability
in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

         9.       INDEMNITY AND CONTRIBUTION:

                  (a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless
         each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers, and any person
         who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
         Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns
         of all the foregoing persons from and against any loss, damage,
         expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of
         investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or
         person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or
         otherwise, insofar


<PAGE>

         as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is
         based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
         material fact contained in the registration statement as originally
         filed or in any amendment thereof, or in a Prospectus (the term
         "Prospectus" for the purpose of this Section 9 being deemed to include
         the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final
         Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereof), or arises out of or
         is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
         required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made
         therein not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage,
         expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue
         statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact with respect
         to the Underwriters contained in and in conformity with information
         furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter through WDR or
         DLJ to the Company expressly for use with reference to such Underwriter
         in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or arises out of or
         is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
         in connection with such information required to be stated in such
         Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make such
         information not misleading.

                  If any action, suit or proceeding (together, a "Proceeding")
         is brought against an Underwriter or any such person in respect of
         which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to the
         foregoing paragraph, such Underwriter or such person shall promptly
         notify the Company in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and
         the Company shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the
         employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party
         and payment of all fees and expenses. The omission to so notify the
         Company, however, shall not relieve the Company from any liability
         which the Company may have to any Underwriter or any such person or
         otherwise. Such Underwriter or controlling person shall have the right
         to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and
         expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or
         such controlling person unless the employment of such counsel shall
         have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the
         defense of such Proceeding or the Company shall not have, within a
         reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed
         counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding or such
         indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there
         may be defenses available to it or them which are different from,
         additional to or in competition with those available to the Company (in
         which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense
         of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties, but
         the Company may employ counsel and participate in the defense thereof,
         but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
         the Company), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be
         borne by the Company and paid as incurred (it being understood,
         however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more
         than one separate counsel in addition to any local counsel in any one
         Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction
         representing the indemnified


<PAGE>

         parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The Company shall not be
         liable for any settlement of any such claim or Proceeding effected
         without its written consent but if settled with the written consent of
         the Company, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any
         Underwriter and any such person from and against any loss or liability
         by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence,
         if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an
         indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and
         expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this
         paragraph, then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable
         for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written
         consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business
         days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request,
         (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified
         party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
         settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the
         indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice of its intention to
         settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent
         of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
         threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or
         could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder
         by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an
         unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on
         claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not
         include an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or
         on behalf of such indemnified party.

                  (b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and
         hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and any person
         who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or
         Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all
         the foregoing persons from and against any loss, damage, expense,
         liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation)
         which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person may incur
         under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar
         as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is
         based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
         material fact with respect to such Underwriter contained in and in
         conformity with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of
         such Underwriter through WDR or DLJ to the Company expressly for use in
         the registration statement as originally filed or in any amendment
         thereof or in a Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any
         omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in connection
         with such information required to be stated in such Registration
         Statement or such Prospectus or necessary to make such information not
         misleading.

                  If any Proceeding is brought against the Company or any such
         person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any
         Underwriter pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, the Company or such
         person shall promptly notify such Underwriter in writing of the
         institution of such Proceeding and such Underwriter shall assume the
         defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of


<PAGE>

         counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment
         of all fees and expenses. The omission to so notify such Underwriter,
         however, shall not relieve such Underwriter from any liability which
         such Underwriter may have to the Company or any such person or
         otherwise. The Company or such person shall have the right to employ
         its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such
         counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such person unless
         the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by
         such Underwriter in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or
         such Underwriter shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in
         light of the circumstances, employed counsel to have charge of the
         defense of such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall
         have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or
         them which are different from or additional to or in conflict with
         those available to such Underwriter (in which case such Underwriter
         shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on
         behalf of the indemnified party or parties, but such Underwriter may
         employ counsel and participate in the defense thereof but the fees and
         expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter),
         in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such
         Underwriter and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that
         such Underwriter shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
         separate counsel in addition to any local counsel in any one Proceeding
         or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing
         the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). No
         Underwriter shall be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding
         effected without the written consent of such Underwriter but if settled
         with the written consent of such Underwriter, such Underwriter agrees
         to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and any such person from and
         against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement.
         Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified
         party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
         indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by
         the second sentence of this paragraph, then the indemnifying party
         agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding
         effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered
         into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying
         party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not
         have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request
         prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party
         shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice
         of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the
         prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement
         of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any
         indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
         have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
         settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party
         from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such
         Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or a
         failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.


<PAGE>

                  (c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is
         unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
         for any reason in respect of any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities
         or claims referred to in Section 9(a) or (b), then each applicable
         indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party,
         shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
         party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or
         claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
         benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
         on the other hand from the offering of the Senior Notes or (ii) if the
         allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable
         law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
         relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
         fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
         other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
         such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any
         other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received
         by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall
         be deemed to be in the same respective proportion as the total proceeds
         from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but
         before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the underwriting
         discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative
         fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
         other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
         the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
         omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the
         Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent,
         knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
         such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a
         result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in
         this Section 9(c) shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or
         expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with
         investigating, preparing to defend or defending any Proceeding.

                  (d) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not
         be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were
         determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
         treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
         allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations
         referred to in Section 9(c). Notwithstanding the provisions of this
         Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
         excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Senior Notes
         underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were
         offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such
         Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue
         statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
         No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
         Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
         person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The
         Underwriter's obligations to contribute pursuant to this


<PAGE>

         Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
         commitments and not joint.

                  (e) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
         this Section 9 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the
         Company contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and
         effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
         Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers or any person
         (including each partner, officer or director of such person) who
         controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or
         Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, its
         directors and officers or any person who controls the Company within
         the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
         and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the issuance and
         delivery of the Senior Notes. The Company and each Underwriter agree
         promptly to notify each other of the commencement of any Proceeding
         against it and, in the case of the Company, against any of the
         Company's officers or directors, in connection with the issuance and
         sale of the Senior Notes, or in connection with the registration
         statement or Prospectus.

         10. NOTICES: Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements,
requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by telegram and, if to
the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to
Warburg Dillon Read LLC, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171-0026, Attention:
Syndicate Department and, if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all respects
if delivered to the Company at the offices of the Company at 100 Field Point
Road, Greenwich, Connecticut, 06830, Attention:
Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to General Counsel.

         11. GOVERNING LAW; CONSTRUCTION: This Agreement and any claim,
counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in
any way relating to this Agreement ("Claim"), directly or indirectly, shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New
York. The Section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of
convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.

         12. SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION: Except as set forth below, no Claim may
be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the
State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall
have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company
consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect
thereto. The Company hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue
in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this
Agreement is brought by any third party against any Underwriter or any
indemnified party. Each of the Underwriters and the Company (on its behalf and,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and
affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or
counterclaim (whether based upon


<PAGE>

contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this
Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action,
proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and
binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts in the
jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such
judgment. The Company hereby appoints, without power of revocation, Bruce D.
Kreiger, Esq., or his successor, in the position of General Counsel of the
Company as its agent to accept and acknowledge on its behalf service of any and
all process which may be served in any action, proceeding or counterclaim in any
way relating to or arising out of this Agreement.

         13. PARTIES AT INTEREST: The Agreement herein set forth has been and is
made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and to the
extent provided in Section 9, the controlling persons, directors and officers
referred to in such section, and their respective successors, assigns, executors
and administrators. No other person, partnership, heirs, personal
representatives and association or corporation (including a purchaser, as such
purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall acquire or have any right under
or by virtue of this Agreement.

         14. COUNTERPARTS: This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or
more counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement
among the parties.

         15. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS: This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Underwriters and the Company and their successors and assigns and any successor
or assign of any substantial portion of the Company's and any of the
Underwriters' respective businesses and/or assets.

         16. MISCELLANEOUS: WDR, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of UBS AG,
is not a bank and is separate from any affiliated bank, including any U.S.
branch or agency of WDR. Because WDR is a separately incorporated entity, it is
solely responsible for its own contractual obligations and commitments,
including obligations with respect to sales and purchases of securities.
Securities sold, offered or recommended by WDR are not deposits, are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, are not guaranteed by a branch or
agency, and are not otherwise an obligation or responsibility of a branch or
agency.

         A lending affiliate of WDR may have lending relationships with issuers
of securities underwritten or privately placed by WDR. To the extent required
under the securities laws, prospectuses and other disclosure documents for
securities underwritten or privately placed by WDR will disclose the existence
of any such lending relationships and whether the proceeds of the issue will be
used to repay debts owed to affiliates of WDR.

         If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Company and the Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for
the purpose,


<PAGE>

whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement
between the Company and the Underwriters, severally.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       BLYTH INDUSTRIES INC.


                                       By:
                                           ---------------------------------
                                               Title:

Accepted and agreed to as of
  the date first above written

WARBURG DILLON READ LLC
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORPORATION
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

By: Warburg Dillon Read LLC


By:
    -----------------------------------
         Title:


By:
    -----------------------------------
         Title:



<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE A

                                                           Principal Amount of
 Underwriter                                               Senior Notes
 -----------                                               ------------

Warburg Dillon Read LLC                                        $82,500,000

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation            $52,500,000

Banc Of America Securities LLC                                 $15,000,000

                           Total                              $150,000,000





<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 4.1


                          FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

         FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of September 29, 1999 (this
"First Supplemental Indenture"), between BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC., a Delaware
corporation (such corporation or, subject to Article Nine of the Indenture, its
successors and assigns, the "Company"), and FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK, a
national banking association (such corporation or, subject to Article Five of
the Indenture, its successors and assigns as Trustee under this Indenture, the
"Trustee").

W I T N E S S E T H:

         WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an
Indenture, dated as of May 20, 1999 (as supplemented hereby, the "Indenture"),
to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Company's unsecured senior
debentures, notes or other evidences of Indebtedness to be issued in one or more
series (the "Securities");

         WHEREAS, pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company has authorized the
issuance of $150 million of its 7.90% Senior Notes due 2009 (the "Notes");

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish the terms and conditions of
the Notes in accordance with Section 2.01 of the Indenture.

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                      TERMS

         SECTION 1.01. DEFINITIONS. The terms defined in this Section101 (except
to the extent the application of such definitions is expressly limited to
certain instances, and except as otherwise expressly provided in this First
Supplemental Indenture or the Indenture or unless the context otherwise
requires) for all purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture shall have the
respective meanings specified in this Section101.

         "FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES" means any Subsidiary of the Company which is not
incorporated or organized in the United States and conducts substantially all
its business outside the United States.

         "FUNDED DEBT" means any Indebtedness that by its terms matures at or is
extendible or renewable at the sole option of the obligor without requiring the
consent of the obligee to a date more than 12 months after the date of the
creation of such Indebtedness.

         "PRINCIPAL PROPERTY" means any of the real and tangible property of the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, whether owned or leased, constituting
a part of any


<PAGE>

manufacturing facility, distribution facility, warehouse or office, operated now
or hereafter by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, that has a book
value on the date as of which the determination is being made of more than 2% of
Consolidated Net Worth.

         "PRINCIPAL SUBSIDIARY" means any Subsidiary that owns a Principal
Property.

         SECTION 1.02.  TERMS OF NOTES.  The following terms relating to the
Notes are hereby established:

         (1)      The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the
                  title "7.90% Senior Notes due 2009."

         (2)      The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be
                  authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for
                  Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of
                  transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, other Notes of
                  the series pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 8.04 or 10.07
                  of the Indenture) shall be $150,000,000.

         (3)      The entire outstanding principal of the Notes will mature on
                  October 1, 2009 (the "Stated Maturity Date").

         (4)      The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 7.90%
                  per annum; the date from which interest shall accrue shall be
                  September 29, 1999; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes
                  on which interest will be payable shall be April 1 and October
                  1 in each year, beginning April 1, 2000; the Regular Record
                  Dates for the interest payable on the Notes on any Interest
                  Payment Date shall be the 15th calendar day preceding the
                  applicable Interest Payment Date.

         (5)      The Company, at its option, may redeem the Notes, in whole or
                  in part, at any time upon 30 day's notice (but not more than
                  60 days) at the Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i)
                  100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or
                  the Make Whole Amount (as defined below) with respect to the
                  Notes to be redeemed. The "Make Whole Amount" with respect to
                  the Notes to be redeemed on any Redemption Date shall equal
                  the sum of the present values, as of such Redemption Date, of
                  the Remaining Scheduled Payments (as defined below)
                  discounted, on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year
                  consisting of twelve 30-day months), at a rate equal to the
                  Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 25 basis points. For
                  purposes of calculating the Make Whole Amount, the following
                  terms shall have the following meanings:

                  "REMAINING SCHEDULED PAYMENTS" means the remaining scheduled
                  payments of the principal and interest that would be due after
                  the


<PAGE>

                  Redemption Date of a Note if such Note were not redeemed.
                  However, if the Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment
                  Date, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest
                  payment on such Note will be reduced by the amount of interest
                  accrued on such Note to such Redemption Date.

                  "TREASURY RATE" means an annual rate equal to the semiannual
                  equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue
                  (as defined below), assuming a price for the Comparable
                  Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal
                  amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for the
                  Redemption Date. The semiannual equivalent yield to maturity
                  will be computed as of the third business day immediately
                  preceding the Redemption Date.

                  "COMPARABLE TREASURY ISSUE" means the United States Treasury
                  security selected by Warburg Dillon Read LLC, Donaldson,
                  Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation or Banc of America
                  Securities LLC or an affiliate as having a maturity comparable
                  to the remaining term of the Notes that would be utilized, at
                  the time of selection and in accordance with customary
                  financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt
                  securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the
                  Notes.

                  "COMPARABLE TREASURY PRICE" means the average of three
                  Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations (as defined below)
                  obtained by the Trustee for the Redemption Date.

                  "REFERENCE TREASURY DEALERS" means each of Warburg Dillon Read
                  LLC, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation or
                  Banc of America Securities LLC (so long as it continues to be
                  a primary U.S. Government securities dealer) and any two other
                  primary U.S. Government securities dealers chosen by the
                  Company. If any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S.
                  Government securities dealer, the Company will appoint in its
                  place another nationally recognized investment banking firm
                  that is a primary U.S. Government securities dealer.

                  "REFERENCE TREASURY DEALER QUOTATION" means the average, as
                  determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the
                  Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a
                  percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the
                  Trustee by a Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30p.m., New York
                  City time, on the third business day preceding the Redemption
                  Date.

         (6)      The Notes will not be subject to any sinking fund or analogous
                  provisions, and the Company will not be obligated to redeem or
                  purchase Notes at the option of a holder thereof.


<PAGE>

         (7)      The Notes will be issuable as Registered Securities without
                  coupons.

         (8)      The Notes will be issued as Global Securities and the
                  Depositary will be The Depository Trust Company ("DTC").

         (9)      In addition to the covenants set forth in Article Three of the
                  Indenture, the Notes shall be subject to the additional
                  covenants set forth in Sections103, 104 and 105 of this First
                  Supplemental Indenture.

         (10)     The currency of payment of principal of and premium, if any,
                  and interest on the Notes shall be U.S. Dollars, and the Notes
                  shall be denominated in U.S. Dollars.

         (11)     The Notes shall have no additional Events of Default in
                  addition to the Events of Default set forth in Article Four of
                  the Indenture.

         (12)     The Trustee shall also be the Security Registrar and Paying
                  Agent for the Notes.

         (13)     Interest on any Note shall be payable only to the Person in
                  whose name that Note is registered at the close of business on
                  the Regular Record Date for such interest payment.

         (14)     The Notes shall not be subordinated to any other debt of the
                  Company and shall constitute senior unsecured obligations of
                  the Company.

         SECTION 1.03. RESTRICTIONS ON LIENS. The Company will not, and will not
permit any Principal Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Indebtedness
for money borrowed ("Debt") if such Debt is secured by any Lien upon any
Principal Property of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary, or on any stock
or Indebtedness of any Principal Subsidiary, whether owned at the date of this
Indenture or hereafter acquired, without making effective provision to secure
any outstanding Notes equally and ratably with the other Indebtedness of the
Company or any Principal Subsidiary thereby secured for so long as any such
other Indebtedness of the Company or any Principal Subsidiary shall be so
secured. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company's
obligation to secure any outstanding Notes shall not prevent, restrict or apply
to any Debt secured by the following types of Liens:

                  (a) Liens on property, stock or Indebtedness existing as of
         the date of the first issuance of the Notes;

                  (b) Liens on property acquired, constructed or improved, which
         are created or assumed contemporaneously with or within 180 days after
         such acquisition, or completion of such construction or improvement,
         whichever is later, (or within six months thereafter pursuant to a firm
         commitment for


<PAGE>

         financing arrangements entered into within such 180-day period) to
         secure or provide for the payment of all or a portion of the purchase
         price or cost thereof;

                  (c) Liens on property, stock or Indebtedness of any Person
         existing at the time of its acquisition by the Company or any Principal
         Subsidiary (including acquisition through merger or consolidation or
         acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise) or arising thereafter
         pursuant to contractual commitments entered into prior to such
         acquisition; PROVIDED that such Lien does not apply to any property
         owned by the Company or a Principal Subsidiary prior to the date of
         such acquisition other than, in the case of any construction or
         improvement, any previously unimproved real property on which the
         property so constructed, or improved, is located;

                  (d) Liens to secure Debt of the Company or a Subsidiary of the
         Company that is payable to the Company or to a Subsidiary of the
         Company;

                  (e) Liens on any property located outside the United States
         and stock or Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary of the Company;

                  (f)      Liens in favor of the Company or its Subsidiaries;

                  (g) Liens in favor of governmental bodies to secure partial
         progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute
         or to secure any Indebtedness incurred for the purpose of financing all
         or any part of the purchase price or cost of constructing or improving
         the property subject to such Liens;

                  (h) Liens for the sole purpose of extending, renewing or
         replacing, in whole or in part, Debt secured by any Lien referred to in
         clauses (a) to (g) above or any Lien existing on the date of this First
         Supplemental Indenture, PROVIDED that the principal amount of Debt
         secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of Debt secured
         at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement and such lien
         shall be limited to all or a part of the property which secured the
         Debt being extended, renewed or replaced (plus improvements on such
         property); or

                  (i) Liens securing other Debt up to an aggregate amount that,
         together with the liability attributable to leases entered into in
         connection with sale and lease-back transactions existing at such time
         (discounted at the rate of interest in the lease, or if not in the
         lease at a rate of interest that is equivalent to the rate of interest
         that is then being charged with respect to Indebtedness secured by like
         liens on like property), does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Worth.

         SECTION 1.04.  RESTRICTIONS ON SALE AND LEASE-BACK
TRANSACTIONS. The Company will not, and will not permit any Principal Subsidiary
to, engage in any sale and lease-back transactions involving a Principal
Property (other than temporary leases for a term, including renewals, of not
more than three years and


<PAGE>

leases between the Company and a Subsidiary of the Company or between
Subsidiaries of the Company) unless the net proceeds of such sale and lease-back
transactions are at least equal to the fair value (as determined by the Board of
Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the principal financial
officer of the Company) of the Principal Property to be leased and:

                  (a) if, in lieu of entering into such sale and lease-back
         transaction, the Company would have been entitled pursuant to the
         provisions of Section1.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture to
         issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on the property sold
         in such sale and lease-back transaction in an amount equal to the
         liability attributable to the lease entered into in connection with
         sale and lease-back transactions existing at such time (discounted at
         the rate of interest in the lease, or if not in the lease at a rate of
         interest that is equivalent to the rate of interest that is then being
         charged with respect to Indebtedness secured by like Liens on like
         property) without having to secure any outstanding Notes;

                  (b) the Company would be permitted pursuant to the provisions
         of Section1.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture to incur Debt
         secured by a Lien on the Principal Property to be leased without
         equally and ratably securing any Note; or

                  (c) within 180 days of the effective date of any such
         arrangement (or in the case of clause (iii) of this paragraph, within
         six months thereafter pursuant to a firm purchase commitment entered
         into within such 180-day period) the Company shall apply an amount
         equal to the fair value (determined as specified above) of such
         Principal Property:

                           (i)      to the redemption, if applicable, or
                                    repurchase, if permitted, of the Notes,

                           (ii)     to the payment or other retirement of Funded
                                    Debt incurred or assumed by the Company
                                    which ranks senior to or PARI PASSU with the
                                    Notes or of Funded Debt incurred or assumed
                                    by any Subsidiary of the Company (other
                                    than, in either case, Funded Debt owned by
                                    the Company or any Subsidiary of the
                                    Company), or

                           (iii)    to the purchase of Principal Property (other
                                    than the Principal Property involved in such
                                    sale).

         Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, restrictions on sale
and lease-back transactions shall not apply to sale and lease-back arrangements
existing on the date of the first issuance of the Notes.


<PAGE>

         SECTION 1.05. RESTRICTIONS ON GUARANTIES. The Company will not, and
will not permit Candle Corporation Worldwide, Inc., Candle Corporation of
America and PartyLite Gifts, Inc. to be or become obligated under any Guaranty
(as defined in each of the Credit Facility and Note Purchase Agreements) of
Indebtedness (as defined in each of the Credit Facility and Note Purchase
Agreements) of the Company.

         SECTION 1.06.  FORM OF 2009 SENIOR NOTE. The form of the Note is
attached hereto as Exhibit A.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         SECTION 2.01. DEFINITIONS. Capitalized terms used but not defined in
this First Supplemental Indenture shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in
the Indenture.

         SECTION 2.02. CONFIRMATION OF INDENTURE. The Indenture, as heretofore
supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all
respects ratified and confirmed, and the Indenture, this First Supplemental
Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto shall be read, taken and
construed as one and the same instrument.

         SECTION 2.03.  CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE.  The Trustee assumes no
duties, responsibilities or liabilities by reason of this First Supplemental
Indenture other than as set forth in the Indenture and, in carrying out its
responsibilities hereunder, shall have all of the rights, protections and
immunities which it possesses under the Indenture.

         SECTION 2.04. GOVERNING LAW. This First Supplemental Indenture, the
Indenture and the Notes shall be deemed to be contracts made under the laws of
the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.

         SECTION 2.05. SEPARABILITY. In case any provision in this First
Supplemental Indenture shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

         SECTION 2.06. COUNTERPARTS. This First Supplemental Indenture may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original, but
such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.


                  [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First
Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above
written.

                                  BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.


                                  By:
                                      ------------------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:



                                  FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK, as Trustee


                                  By:
                                      ------------------------------------
                                      Name:
                                      Title:



<PAGE>

                                 [FACE OF NOTE]

[LEGEND FOR INCLUSION IN GLOBAL SECURITIES-- THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY
WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN
THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR
SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS
NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE AND, UNLESS
AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SECURITIES IN DEFINITIVE FORM,
THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A
NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A
SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]

[LEGEND FOR INCLUSION IN GLOBAL SECURITIES -- UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED
BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK
CORPORATION ("DTC"), TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS
REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO
SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY
TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON
IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.]


<PAGE>

No.: __

CUSIP No.: 09643P AA 6                                         Principal Amount:
                                                               $
                                                                ----------------

                             BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.

                           7.90% Senior Notes due 2009

         Blyth Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the
"Company", which term includes any successor under the Indenture referred to
below), for value received, hereby promises to pay to ___________ or registered
assigns, the principal sum of _____________ ($________) on October 1, 2009, and
to pay interest thereon from September 29, 1999 or from the most recent date to
which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semiannually on April1 and
October 1 of each year (each, an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing April 1,
2000, and at Maturity, at the rate of 7.90% per annum, until the principal
hereof is paid or duly made available for payment. Interest on this Note shall
be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

         The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any
Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person
in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at
the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall
be the March 15 or September 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may
be, immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date.

         Any such interest which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable
to the registered holder hereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of
having been such holder, and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note
(or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business
on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed
by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to the holder of this Note not
less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date.

         Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and the interest on this
Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or
currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that, at the
option of the Company, principal, premium, if any, and interest may be paid by
check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the Security Register except a holder of $10,000,000 or more in
aggregate principal amount of the Notes will be entitled to receive payments by
wire


<PAGE>

transfer upon written request to the Trustee not less than ten Business Days
prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date.

         Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on
the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the
same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or
on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual signature of one of
its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefits
under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.


Dated:

                                            BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.


Attest:                                     By:
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

- ------------------------------
     Secretary


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes of the series designated
therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK, as Trustee


By:
    ----------------------------------------
         Authorized Signatory


<PAGE>

                                [REVERSE OF NOTE]

                             BLYTH INDUSTRIES, INC.

                           7.90% Senior Notes due 2009

         1. INDENTURE. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities
of the Company (herein called the "Notes") issued and to be issued under an
Indenture dated as of May20,1999 and First Supplemental Indenture dated
September 29, 1999 (collectively called, together with all indentures
supplemental thereto, the "Indenture") among the Company and First Union
National Bank, as trustee (herein called the "Trustee", which term includes any
successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company,
the Trustee and the holders of the Notes, and the terms upon which the Notes
are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the
Securities of the series designated on the face hereof, limited in aggregate
principal amount to $150 million.

         Capitalized terms used in this Note which are not defined herein shall
have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note,
at the time, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein and in the
Indenture prescribed.

         2. REDEMPTIOn. The Notes are subject to redemption at any time at the
option of the Company as provided in the Indenture. The Notes are not entitled
to any sinking fund.

         3. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES. If an Event of Default with respect to the
Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared
due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

         4. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. The Indenture permits, with certain
exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of
the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the holders of the
Notes of each series issued under the Indenture at any time by the Company and
the Trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding of each series
affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders
of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any
series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the holders of all Notes of such
series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the
Indenture and


<PAGE>

certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences except a
default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any
Note. Any such consent or waiver by the holder of this Note shall be conclusive
and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders of this Note and of any
Notes issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange here for or
in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon
this Note.

         5. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF Indenture. The Indenture contains
provisions whereby (i) the Company may be discharged from its obligations with
respect to the Notes (subject to certain exceptions) or (ii) the Company may be
released from its obligations under specified covenants and agreements in the
Indenture, in each case if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee
money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay and discharge the entire
indebtedness on all Notes, and satisfies certain other conditions, all as more
fully provided in the Indenture.

         6. DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE. The Notes will be issued only
in fully registered form without coupons and will be a "Registered Security"
under the Indenture. The Notes will be issued in fully registered book-entry
form, and will be represented by one or more fully registered global securities
(the "Global Securities") deposited with or on behalf of the DTC and registered
in the name of the DTC or its nominee. Interests in the Global Securities will
be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only through, records
maintained by the DTC (with respect to its participants' interests) and the
DTC's participants (with respect to beneficial ownership interests). So long as
the DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a Global Security, such
registered owner will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Notes
represented by such Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture. Except
as otherwise provided in the Indenture, beneficial owners will not be entitled
to have any of the individual Notes represented by such Global Security
registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical
delivery of any such Notes in definitive form and will not be considered the
owners or holders thereof under the Indenture. Notes will be issued in
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

         Payments of principal of and interest on Notes represented by a Global
Security registered in the name of the DTC or its nominee will be made to the
DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the Global
Security representing such Notes. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying
Agent or the Security Registrar for such Notes will have any responsibility or
liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account
of beneficial ownership interests of the Global Security for such Notes or for
maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial
ownership interests. The Notes may be transferred or exchanged only through a
participant in the DTC.

         7. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. Prior to the time of due presentment of this
Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the
Company or the Trustee may treat the person in whose name this Note is
registered as the owner


<PAGE>

hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note shall be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

         8. CUSIP NUMBERS. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the
Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused
"CUSIP" numbers to be printed on the Notes as a convenience to the holders of
the Notes. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such
CUSIP numbers as printed on the Notes, and reliance may be placed only on the
other identification numbers printed hereon.

         9. AUTHENTICATION. Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has
been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual
signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled
to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

         THE INDENTURE AND THE NOTES INCLUDING THIS NOTE SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


                  [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]




<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 5.1





                               September 28, 1999



Blyth Industries, Inc.
100 Field Point Road
Greenwich, Connecticut  06830

Re:  Blyth Industries, Inc. -- Registration Statement on Form S-3
     ------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as special counsel to Blyth Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the Registration Statement on
Form S-3 (No. 333- 77721), of the Company covering $250,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Company's debt securities, which was filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on May 4, 1999, as amended
by Amendment No. 1, which was filed with the Commission on May 12, 1999 (as
amended, the "Registration Statement"), relating to the issuance from and after
the date thereof of up to $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of Debt
Securities pursuant to that certain Indenture dated as of May 20, 1999 between
the Company and First Union National Bank (the "Trustee"), as Trustee (the
"Indenture"), the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company which was filed with
the Commission on September __, 1999 (the "Current Report") and that certain
First Supplemental Indenture between the Company and the Trustee to be dated as
of September 29, 1999 (the "Supplemental Indenture") pursuant to which the
Company shall issue from and after the date thereof up to $150,000,000 in
aggregate principal amount of the Company's 7.90% Senior Notes Due October 1,
2009 (the "Debt Securities"). Capitalized terms used herein without definition
shall have the meanings assigned to them in, or by reference in, the Indenture.

         In rendering the opinion set forth herein, we have examined a signed
copy of the Registration Statement, the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture
and originals, telecopies or photocopies, certified or otherwise identified to
our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and all such agreements,
certificates of public officials, certificates of officers or representatives of
the Company and others, and such other documents, certificates and corporate or
other records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for this
opinion. As to all matters of fact (including, without limitation, matters of
fact set forth in this opinion), we have relied upon and assumed the accuracy of
statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the


<PAGE>

Company and others. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures (other than those on behalf of the Company), the legal capacity of
natural persons signing or delivering any instrument, the authority of all
persons signing the Registration Statement, the Indenture and the Supplemental
Indenture, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the
conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies,
certified or otherwise, and the authenticity of the originals of such documents.

         Based upon the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, and subject to the
qualifications, assumptions and exceptions heretofore and hereinafter set forth,
we are of the opinion that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, when (a) the Indenture Supplement is
duly executed and delivered by the Company substantially in the form attached as
Exhibit 4 to the Current Report, (b) the Indenture Supplement is duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee substantially in the form
attached as Exhibit 4 to the Current Report and (c) the Debt Securities are duly
executed by the Company and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the
Indenture and issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Indenture
against payment therefor as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Debt
Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

         We do not express, or purport to express, any opinion with respect to
the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Connecticut,
the laws of the State of New York, Delaware corporate law and the federal
securities laws of the United States of America.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the
Current Report and/or the Registration Statement and further consent to the use
of our name under the heading "Legal Counsel" in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus which forms a part thereof. In giving this consent, we do not
thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required
under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This opinion is given as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to
update or supplement this opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances which
may hereafter occur or come to our attention or any changes in law which may
hereafter occur.

                                             Very truly yours,



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