THE BOTANY OF SHAKESPEARE. 221 



discussed of which Shakespeare never heard. He does not speak 

 of many sorts of fungi, of slime molds, microbes; he knew nothing 

 about these. The microscope had hardly been invented, and the 

 unseen world was as yet largely personified. And yet Shakespeare 

 has not failed to note the visible signs of some of our microscopic 

 forms. Critics have wasted their time and the patience of mankind 

 in an effort to identify Hebona, the " leperous distilment " poured 

 into the porches of the royal ear. Almost profitless are such dis- 

 cussions. Yet we may note that we have here to do with an effect; 

 the means of producing it need not be too closely questioned. Before 

 the rush of action, the weird setting, the voice of an apparition, the 

 excited audience cares not what the mysterious vial may contain 

 ebony, henbane, yew, or whether it were entirely empty. What is 

 called for is a speedy and mysterious taking off. Had the scene 

 been laid in Italy, the effect had been reached by the fateful prick 

 of a jeweled pin, some ring upon a Borgian finger whose pressure 

 was the paralysis of death. But the king died of no such curari. 

 Note the symptoms (Hamlet, i, 5, 64-73): 



" The leperous distilment ; whose effect 

 Holds such an enmity with blood of man 

 That swift as quicksilver it courses through 

 The natural gates and alleys of the body, 

 And with a sudden vigour it doth posset 

 And curd, like eager droppings into milk, 

 The thin and wholesome blood ; so did it mine ; 

 And a most instant tetter barked about, 

 Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust, 

 All my smooth body." 



These are the symptoms of blood-poisoning, vividly portrayed; of 

 some contagion, communicable by infection. In foul old London 

 Shakespeare had doubtless seen endemic, zymotic diseases of every 

 description, and drew his picture from the life. Royal blood is noto- 

 riously unsound, royal habit leaves the porches of royal ears espe- 

 cially exposed. On our supposition the vial need not have con- 

 tained very much, not even ebony. The dramatist had plenty of 

 mystery ready to his hand, and the Hebona is perhaps intentionally 

 ambiguous. Bacterial diseases were of old called plagues; they fell 

 from heaven. Listen to King Lear: 



" Now, all the plagues that in the pendulous air 

 Hang fated o'er men's faults, light on my daughters ! " 



Or Caliban: 



" All the infections that the sun sucks up 

 From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall and make him 

 By inch-meal a disease ! " 



