278 MALTA RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES cisive; but, by some extraordinary and inexplicable conceit of the jurymen, they were acquitted of the murder; and have, in consequence, been sentenced on another count to the gallies. So little did any of these wretched beings look for life, that one of them, on ascertaining that certain property found in their possession had been identified by a Maltese, hung himself in a fit of despair. The pirates whom we secured are to be imprisoned until the case has been reported to the Admiralty: their fate will rest therefore upon the communication from England. Major Laing, the gallant officer mentioned in the accounts of the contest with the Ashantees, was of the party mentioned above. He is about to proceed on an expedition to the Niger. Good Friday, 1st April. The Roman Catholics in this place have been occupied during the whole of this day, and the greater part of yesterday, in the exhibition of the most disgusting mummery that ever disgraced rational beings. Representations of our Saviour, fashioned after a manner almost too hideous to conceive, have been carried about the town, to OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS ON GOOD FRIDAY. 279 the singular edification of all true believers. The flesh of certain of these images was of a fine sea-green, upon which streaks of red paint, intended to convey an idea of blood, were lavishly sprinkled. A child, cloathed in the skin of a lamb, pourtrayed, by a kind of practical blasphemy seldom paralleled, the type of our Saviour. Monks in their albs preceded them, holding lighted wax torches of immense bulk; and, in the rear of each came a number of penitents, barefooted, and clanking heavy chains attached to the ankle. These are sometimes so ponderous as to cause unspeakable pain and the perspiration produced by the effort of dragging them along, is frequently so violent as to saturate the sack-cloth garment which completely envelopes their persons. This strange vesture reminds me of a pig in a poke; it towers at the head like a fool's cap, and has two small round holes cut in it for the especial service and gratification of the eyes. Besides the penance just noticed, there were certain folk sitting bare-breached on thorns; so at least I was told, but their naked feet were only exposed. Throughout the day nothing was to be heard but the rattling of wooden machines, 280 MALTA-ROMAN CATHOLIC CEREMONIES. which were incessantly grinding the bones of Judas Iscariot! A very large machine of this kind, I observed placed upon the roof of one of their churches, at which three men were laboriously employed. What could maniacs do more at variance with common sense? And what must be said for the religion which thus deprives men of their reason and consigns them to absurdity and bigotry? But above all, what can we think of its ministers, whose unremitted endeavour it is to work upon the ignorance of these poor people, and to keep alive an infatuation which leads to such deplorable results? What plea is there for them ?—for those "whom methinks I see coming towards me, with a sullen gravity, as though they could not abide vice-by day-light; rudely cloathed for to witness outwardly their contempt of outward things; with books in their hands against glory, whereto they set their names; sophistically speaking against subtlety, and angry with any man in whom they see the foul fault of anger*." God be thanked, my own country at least is untainted by such abominations. * Sir Philip Sydney's "Defence of Poesy." PRIVATE THEATRICALS. 281 Instead of grinding the bones of Judas, they very properly break the bones of one another. Now this I call rational! and as to the rest of the description, I put the parallel entirely upon their own consciences-good beasts of burden are they, and will scarcely break down with the load! 66 Wednesday, 5th April.-Last evening was marked by a theatrical representation, in which the amateurs of the garrison were actors, in behalf of a charity. Major de Batha, Lieut. Colonel Whitmore and two of his family, enacted the principal characters; and were, indeed, intitled to them. The play was the Midnight Hour," with the farce of "X. Y. Z." The female parts were "lively" represented by certain fair-faced youths; of whom, one copied, to admiration, the "minced speech, set look, and ginger pace," of a waiting-woman. All this is very well; and, if it go no further, is a harmless method of enlivening the dulness and varying the monotony of a garrison town. But who does not know what mischievous fire has been enkindled by the "bravos" of goodnatured friends? From hence we may probably trace much of the theatrical mania of loungers 282 MALTA-PRIVATE THEATRICALS. at play-houses, many connexions (of all the most prejudicial) formed with the heroes and heroines of the green-room: imprudent marriages, and the best and most important period of life trifled away, (to say no worse,) in pursuits whose tendency is to unnerve the mind, and leave it incapacitated for any useful or manly occupation. For these reasons, I confess, I am no friend to private theatricals; and I reprobate, in the strongest manner, the admission of lady-actresses, on any grounds, into such amusements. In this respect, the good sense of the amateurs was distinguished ; and, I hope, always will be distinguished. The effect of them upon the minds and hearts of women, is deep and lasting: and, at all events, they introduce a vitiated taste, which seeks for gratification among the garbage of novels and romances. Having turned the heart, it may eventually turn the head, "as it sometimes fared with a gentlewoman of our own nation," (I adopt the anecdote from one who, amidst much pedantic quaintness, has read the ladies a lecture, to which they would do well to attend;) "who so daily bestowed the expence of her best hours upon the stage, as being sur |