justice.

But it was in Italy that poisoning was most prevalent. From a very
early period, it seems to have been looked upon in that country as a
perfectly justifiable means of getting rid of an enemy. The Italians of
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries poisoned their opponents with
as little compunction as an Englishman of the present day brings an
action at law against any one who has done him an injury. The writings
of contemporary authors inform us that, when La Spara and La Tophania
carried on their infernal trade, ladies put poisonbottles on their
dressing-tables as openly, and used them with as little scruple upon
others, as modern dames use Eau de Cologne or lavender-water upon
themselves. So powerful 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 show 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, f