is the influence of fashion, it can even cause
murder to be regarded as a venial peccadillo.

In the memoirs of the last Duke of Guise, who made a Quixotic attempt, in
1648, to seize upon the government of Naples, we find some curious
particulars relative to the popular feeling with regard to poisoning. A
man named Gennaro Annese, who, after the short and extraordinary career of
Masaniello the fisherman, had established himself as a sort of
captain-general of the populace, rendered himself so obnoxious to the Duke
of Guise, that the adherents of the latter determined to murder him. The
captain of the guard, as the duke himself very coolly informs us, was
requested to undertake this office. It was suggested to him that the
_poniard_ would be the most effectual instrument, but the man turned up
his eyes with pious horror at the proposition. He was ready to _poison_
Gennaro Annese whenever he might be called upon to do so; but to poniard
him, he said, would be disgraceful, and unbecoming an officer of the
guards! At last, poison was agreed upon, and Augustino Molla, an attorney
in the duke's confidence, brought the bottle containing the liquid to shew
it to his master. The following is the Duke's own account:

"Augustino came to me at night, and told me: 'I have brought you something
which will free you from Gennaro. He deserves death, and it is no great
matter after what fashion justice is done upon him. Look at this vial,
full of clear and beautiful water: in four days' time, it will punish all
his treasons. The captain of the guard has undertaken to give it him; and
as it has no taste at all, Gennaro will suspect nothing.'"

The duke further informs us that the dose was duly administered; but that
Gennaro, fortunately for himself, ate nothing for dinner that day but
cabbage dressed with oil, which acting as an antidote, caused him to vomit
profusely, and saved his life. He was exceedingly ill for five days, but
never suspected that he had been poisoned.

In process of time, poison-vending became a profitable trade. Eleven years
after this period, it was carried on at Rome to such an extent, that the
sluggish government was roused to interference. Beckmann, in his _History
of Inventions_, and Lebret, in his _Magazin zum Gebrauche der Staaten
Kirche Geschichte_, or _Magazine of Materials for a History of a State
Church_, relates that, in the year 1659, it was made known to Pope
Alexander VII. that great numbers of youn