“I do remember an apothecary, And hereabouts he dwells, whom late I noted In tatter’d weeds, with overwhelming brows, Culling of simples; meagre were his looks, Sharp misery had worn him to the bones: And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, An alligator stuff’d, and other skins Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves A beggarly account of empty boxes, Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds; Remnants of packthread and old cakes of roses, Were thinly scattered to make up a show”.[11] [11] _Romeo and Juliet_, act v., scene i. One can readily picture the poverty-stricken appearance of the dark little shop, littered and crowded with the stuffed skins of curious fishes and alligators. One can almost smell the close musty odour blended with the aromatic perfume of drugs and the old cakes of pressed rose leaves, the manner in which they were formerly preserved for medicinal purposes. The fashionably-dressed Romeo enters, after having made a considerable noise to rouse the attention of the old apothecary from his perchance much-needed repose, and offers his bribe for the poison. Of the purpose for which he requires it he makes little secret. “ROMEO. Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor; Hold, there is forty ducats; let me have A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear As will disperse itself through all the veins, That the life-weary taker may fall dead; And that the trunk may be discharged of breath As violently as hasty powder fir’d Doth hurry from the fatal cannon’s mouth.” The Apothecary’s reply:— “Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua’s law Is death to any he that utters them,” would show that Shakspeare’s idea of the law respecting the sale of poisons was a severe one, and much before his time. The law in England at that time as regards the selling of poisons was very lax. But for the poor apothecary the bribe was too tempting. Perchance he was hungry, and there is something pathetic in his rejoinder, “My poverty, but not my will, consents”. And giving Romeo the poison:— “Put this in any liquid thing you will, And drink it off; and, if you had the strength Of twenty men, it would despatch you straight”. The poet gives no indication of the nature of the poison beyond that its effect was very rapid, as when the distracted lover drinks to his lady love in the deadly draught he exclaims:— “O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.”