Takingaconfession，extortedbyanguishontherack，atitstruevaluenothingatall，thereisstillsufficientevidencetowarrantposterityinthebeliefoftheirguilt。Theywerefoundguilty，andcondemned，accordingtotheirdegreesofculpability，tovariouspunishments。LaSpara，Gratiosa，andthreeyoungwomen，whohadpoisonedtheirhusbands，werehangedtogetheratRome。Upwardsofthirtywomenwerewhippedpubliclythroughthestreets；andseveral，whosehighrankscreenedthemfrommoredegradingpunishment，werebanishedfromthecountry，andmulctedinheavyfines。Inafewmonthsafterwards，ninewomenmorewerehangedforpoisoning；andanotherbevy，includingmanyyoungandbeautifulgirls，werewhippedhalfnakedthroughthestreetsofRome。
　　Thisseveritydidnotputastoptothepractice，andjealouswomenandavariciousmen，anxioustostepintotheinheritanceoffathers，uncles，orbrothers，resortedtopoison。Asitwasquitefreefromtaste，colour，andsmell，itwasadministeredwithoutexcitingsuspicion。Theskilfulvendorscompoundeditofdifferentdegreesofstrength，sothatthepoisonershadonlytosaywhethertheywantedtheirvictimstodieinaweek，amonth，orsixmonths，andtheyweresuitedwithcorrespondingdoses。Thevendorswerechieflywomen，ofwhomthemostcelebratedwasahag，namedTophania，whowasinthiswayaccessorytothedeathofupwardsofsixhundredpersons。Thiswomanappearstohavebeenadealerinpoisonsfromhergirlhood，andresidedfirstatPalermoandthenatNaples。Thatentertainingtraveller，FatherLebat，hasgiven，inhisLettersfromItaly，manycuriousparticularsrelatingtoher。WhenhewasatCivitaVecchia，in1719，theViceroyofNaplesdiscoveredthatpoisonwasextensivelysoldinthelattercity，andthatitwentbythenameofaqueta，orlittle-water。Onmakingfurtherinquiry，heascertainedthatTophaniawhowasbythistimenearseventyyearsofage，andwhoseemstohavebegunherevilcoursesverysoonaftertheexecutionofLaSparasentlargequantitiesofittoallpartsofItalyinsmallvials，withtheinscription“MannaofSt。NicholasofBarri。“
　　ThetombofSt。NicholasofBarriwascelebratedthroughoutItaly。
　　Amiraculousoilwassaidtooozefromit，whichcurednearlyallthemaladiesthatfleshisheirto，providedtherecipientmadeuseofitwiththeduedegreeoffaith。LaTophaniaartfullygavethisnametoherpoisontoeludethevigilanceofthecustom-houseofficers，who，incommonwitheverybodyelse，hadapiousrespectforSt。NicholasdeBarriandhiswonderfuloil。
　　ThepoisonwassimilartothatmanufacturedbyLaSpara。Hahnemannthephysician，andfatherofthehomoepathicdoctrine，writinguponthissubject，saysitwascompoundedofarsenicalneutralsalts，occasioninginthevictimagraduallossofappetite，faintness，gnawingpainsinthestomach，lossofstrength，andwastingofthelungs。TheAbbeGagliardisaysthatafewdropsofitweregenerallypouredintotea，chocolate，orsoup，anditseffectswereslow，andalmostimperceptible。Garelli，physiciantotheEmperorofAustria，inalettertoHoffmann，saysitwascrystallizedarsenic，dissolvedinalargequantityofwaterbydecoction，withtheadditionforsomeunexplainedpurposeoftheherbcymbalaria。TheNeapolitanscalleditAquaToffnina；anditbecamenotoriousalloverEuropeunderthenameofAquaTophania。
　　Althoughthiswomancarriedonherinfamoustrafficsoextensively，itwasextremelydifficulttomeetwithher。Shelivedincontinualdreadofdiscovery。Sheconstantlychangedhernameandresidence；andpretendingtobeapersonofgreatgodliness，residedinmonasteriesformonthstogether。Whenevershewasmorethanusuallyapprehensiveofdetection，shesoughtecclesiasticalprotection。ShewassoonapprisedofthesearchmadeforherbytheViceroyofNaples，and，accordingtoherpractice，tookrefugeinamonastery。Eitherthesearchafterherwasnotveryrigid，orhermeasureswereexceedinglywelltaken；forshecontrivedtoeludethevigilanceoftheauthoritiesforseveralyears。Whatisstillmoreextraordinary，asshowingtheramificationsofhersystem，hertradewasstillcarriedontoasgreatanextentasbefore。Lebatinformsusthatshehadsogreatasympathyforpoorwiveswhohatedtheirhusbandsandwantedtogetridofthem，butcouldnotaffordtobuyherwonderfulaqua，thatshemadethempresentsofit。
　　Shewasnotallowed，however，toplayatthisgameforever；shewasatlengthdiscoveredinanunnery，andherretreatcutoff。TheViceroymadeseveralrepresentationstothesuperiortodeliverherup，butwithouteffect。Theabbess，supportedbythearchbishopofthediocese，constantlyrefused。Thepubliccuriositywasinconsequencesomuchexcitedattheadditionalimportancethusthrustuponthecriminal，thatthousandsofpersonsvisitedthenunneryinordertocatchaglimpseofher。
　　ThepatienceoftheViceroyappearstohavebeenexhaustedbythesedelays。Beingamanofsense，andnotaveryzealousCatholic，hedeterminedthateventheChurchshouldnotshieldacriminalsoatrocious。Settingtheprivilegesofthenunneryatdefiance，hesentatroopofsoldiers，whobrokeoverthewallsandcarriedherawayvietarmis。TheArchbishop，CardinalPignatelli，washighlyindignant，andthreatenedtoexcommunicateandlaythewholecityunderinterdict。Alltheinferiorclergy，animatedbytheespritducorps，tookupthequestion，andsoworkeduponthesuperstitiousandbigotedpeople，thattheywerereadytoriseinamasstostormthepalaceoftheViceroyandrescuetheprisoner。
　　Thesewereseriousdifficulties；buttheViceroywasnotamantobedaunted。Indeed，heseemstohaveactedthroughoutwitharareunionofastuteness，coolness，andenergy。Toavoidtheevilconsequencesofthethreatenedexcommunication，heplacedaguardroundthepalaceoftheArchbishop，judgingthatthelatterwouldnotbesofoolishastolaunchoutananathemawhichwouldcausethecitytobestarved，andhimselfinit。Themarketpeoplewouldnothavedaredtocometothecitywithprovisions，solongasitremainedundertheban。Therewouldhavebeentoomuchinconveniencetohimselfandhisghostlybrethreninsuchameasure；and，astheViceroyanticipated，thegoodCardinalreservedhisthundersforsomeotheroccasion。
　　Stilltherewasthepopulace。Toquiettheirclamourandaverttheimpendinginsurrection，theagentsofthegovernmentadroitlymingledwiththepeople，andspreadabroadareportthatTophaniahadpoisonedallthewellsandfountainsofthecity。Thiswasenough。Thepopularfeelingturnedagainstherimmediately。Thosewho，butamomentbefore，hadlookeduponherasasaint，nowreviledherasadevil，andwereaseagerforherpunishmentastheyhadbeforebeenforherescape。Tophaniawasthenputtothetorture。Sheconfessedthelongcatalogueofhercrimes，andnamedallthepersonswhohademployedher。Shewasshortlyafterwardsstrangled，andhercorpsethrownoverthewallintothegardenoftheconvent，fromwhenceshehadbeentaken。Thisappearstohavebeendonetoconciliatetheclergy，byallowingthem，atleast，theburialofonewhohadtakenrefugewithintheirprecincts。
　　Afterherdeaththemaniaforpoisoningseemstohaveabated；butwehaveyettoseewhatholdittookupontheFrenchpeopleatasomewhatearlierperiod。SorootedhaditbecomeinFrancebetweentheyears1670and1680，thatMadamedeSevigne，inoneofherletters，expressesherfearthatFrenchmanandpoisonerwouldbecomesynonymousterms。
　　AsinItaly，thefirstnoticethegovernmentreceivedoftheprevalenceofthiscrimewasgivenbytheclergy，towhomfemalesofhighrank，andsomeamongthemiddleandlowerclasses，hadavowedintheconfessionalthattheyhadpoisonedtheirhusbands。Inconsequenceofthesedisclosures，twoItalians，namedExiliandGlaser，werearrested，andthrownintotheBastille，onthechargeofcompoundingandsellingthedrugsusedforthesemurders。Glaserdiedinprison，butExiliremainedwithouttrialforseveralmonths；andthere，shortlyafterwards，hemadetheacquaintanceofanotherprisoner，namedSainteCroix，bywhoseexamplethecrimewasstillfurtherdisseminatedamongtheFrenchpeople。
　　ThemostnotoriousofthepoisonersthatderivedtheirperniciousknowledgefromthismanwasMadamedeBrinvilliers，ayoungwomanconnectedbothbybirthandmarriagewithsomeofthenoblestfamiliesofFrance。Sheseems，fromherveryearliestyears，tohavebeenheartlessanddepraved；and，ifwemaybelieveherownconfession，wassteepedinwickednessereshehadwellenteredherteens。Shewas，however，beautifulandaccomplished；and，intheeyeoftheworld，seemedexemplaryandkind。GuyotdePitaval，inthe“CausesCelebres，“
　　andMadamedeSevigne，inherLetters，representherasmildandagreeableinhermanners，andofferingnotracesonhercountenanceoftheevilsoulwithin。Shewasmarriedin1651totheMarquisdeBrinvilliers，withwhomshelivedunhappilyforsomeyears。Hewasaloosedissipatedcharacter，andwasthemeansofintroducingSainteCroixtohiswife，amanwhocastablightuponherlife，anddraggedheronfromcrimetocrimetillheroffencesbecamesogreatthatthemindshudderstodwelluponthem。Forthismansheconceivedaguiltypassion，togratifywhichsheplungedatonceintothegulfofsin。
　　Shewasdrawntoitsmostloathsomedepthsereretributionovertookher。
　　Shehadasyetshownafairoutsidetotheworld，andfoundbutlittledifficultyineffectingalegalseparationfromherhusband，whohadnotthearttoconcealhisvices。Theproceedinggavegreatoffencetoherfamily。Sheappears，afterthis，tohavethrownoffthemaskcompletely，andcarriedonherintriguessoopenlywithherlover，SainteCroix，thatherfather，M。D’Aubray，scandalisedatherconduct，procuredalettredecachet，andhadhimimprisonedintheBastilleforatwelvemonth。
　　SainteCroix，whohadbeeninItaly，wasadabblerinpoisons。HeknewsomethingofthesecretsofthedetestableLaSpara，andimprovedhimselfinthemfromtheinstructionsofExili，withwhomhespeedilycontractedasortoffriendship。Byhimhewasshownhowtoprepare，notonlytheliquidpoisonsemployedinItaly，butthatknownassuccessionpowder，whichafterwardsbecamesocelebratedinFrance。
　　Likehismistress，heappearedamiable，witty，andintelligent，andshowednosignstotheworldofthetwofiercepassions，revengeandavarice，whichweregnawingathisheart。BoththesepassionsweretobesatedontheunfortunatefamilyofD’Aubray；hisrevenge，becausetheyhadimprisonedhim；andhisavarice，becausetheywererich。
　　Recklessandextravagant，hewasalwaysinwantofmoney，andhehadnoonetosupplyhimbutMadamedeBrinvilliers，whoseownportionwasfarfromsufficienttosatisfyhisneed。Groaningtothinkthatanyimpedimentshouldstandbetweenhimandwealth，heconceivedthehorridideaofpoisoningM。D’Aubrayherfather，andhertwobrothers，thatshemightinherittheproperty。Threemurderswerenothingtosuchavillain。HecommunicatedhisplantoMadamedeBrinvilliers；
　　andshe，withouttheslightestscruple，agreedtoaidhim:heundertooktocompoundthepoisons，andshetoadministerthem。Thezealandalacritywithwhichshesettoworkseemhardlycredible。
　　SainteCroixfoundheranaptscholar；andshesoonbecameasexpertashimselfinthemanufactureofpoisons。Totrythestrengthofthefirstdoses，sheusedtoadministerthemtodogs，rabbits，andpigeons。Afterwards，wishingtobemorecertainoftheireffects，shewentroundtothehospitals，andadministeredthemtothesickpoorinthesoupswhichshebroughtinapparentcharity。[ThisisdeniedbyVoltaireinhis“AgeofLouisXIV；“buthedoesnotstateforwhatreason。Hiswordsare，“Ilestfauxqu’elleeutessayesespoisonsdansleshopitaux，commeledisaitlepeupleetcommeilestecritdansles’CausesCelebres，’ouvraged’unavocatsanscauseetfaitpourlepeuple。“]Noneofthepoisonswereintendedtokillatthefirstdose；sothatshecouldtrythemonceuponanindividualwithoutfearofmurder。Shetriedthesameatrociousexperimentupontheguestsatherfather’stable，bypoisoningapigeon-pie！Tobemorecertainstill，shenextpoisonedherself！Whenconvincedbythisdesperateessayofthepotencyofthedraught，sheprocuredanantidotefromSainteCroix，andalldoubtsbeingremoved，commencedoperationsuponhergrey-headedfather。Sheadministeredthefirstdosewithherownhands，inhischocolate。Thepoisonworkedwell。Theoldmanwastakenill，andhisdaughter，apparentlyfulloftendernessandanxiety，watchedbyhisbedside。Thenextdayshegavehimsomebroth，whichsherecommendedashighlynourishing。Thisalsowaspoisoned。Inthismannershegraduallyworeouthisframe，andinlessthantendayshewasacorpse！Hisdeathseemedsomuchtheresultofdisease，thatnosuspicionswereexcited。