Nortan Hall.
_Judas Bell_ (No. 13. p. 195.; No. 15. p. 235.).--The lines here
quoted by "C.W.G.," from "a singular Scotch poem," evidently mean to
express or examplify discord; and the words "to jingle _Judas bells_,"
refer to "bells _jangled, out of tune, and harsh_."
The Maltese at Valletta, a people singularly, and, as we should
say, morbidly, addicted to the seeming enjoyment of the most horrid
discords, on Good Friday Eve, have the custom of _jangling_ the church
bells with the utmost violence, in execration of the memory of Judas;
and I have seen there a large wooden machine (of which they have
many in use), constructed on a principle similar to that of an
old-fashioned watchman's rattle, but of far greater power in creating
an uproar, intended to be symbolical of the rattling of _Judas's
bones, that will not rest in his grave_. The Maltese, as is well
known, are a very superstitious people. The employment of _Judas
candles_ would, no doubt, if properly explained, turn out to mean to
imply execration against the memory of Judas, wherever they may be
used. But in the expression _Judas bell_, the greatest conceivable
amount of _discord_ is that which is intended to be expressed.