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Rappaccini's Daughter
"Andyet,worshipfulprofessor,isitnotanoblespirit?Aretheremanymencapableofsospiritualaloveofscience?"
"Godforbid,"answeredtheprofessor,somewhattestily;"atleast,unlesstheytakesounderviewsofthehealingartthanthoseadoptedbyRappaccini.Itishistheorythatallmedicinalvirtuesarecomprisedwithinthosesubstanceswhichwetermvegetablepoisons.Thesehecultivateswithhisownhands,andissaideventohaveproducednewvarietiesofpoison,morehorriblydeleteriousthanNature,withouttheassistanceofthislearnedperson,wouldeverhaveplaguedtheworldwithal.Thatthesignordoctordoeslessmischiefthanmightbeexpectedwithsuchdangeroussubstancesisundeniable.Nowandthen,itmustbeowned,hehaseffected,orseemedtoeffect,amarvellouscure;but,totellyoumyprivatemind,SignorGiovanni,heshouldreceivelittlecreditforsuchinstancesofsuccess,—theybeingprobablytheworkofchance,—butshouldbeheldstrictlyaccountableforhisfailures,whichmayjustlybeconsideredhisownwork."
TheyouthmighthavetakenBaglioni’sopinionswithmanygrainsofallowancehadheknownthattherewasaprofessionalwarfareoflongcontinuancebetweenhimandDr.Rappaccini,inwhichthelatterwasgenerallythoughttohavegainedtheadvantage.Ifthereaderbeinclinedtojudgeforhimself,wereferhimtocertainblack-lettertractsonbothsides,preservedinthemedicaldepartmentoftheUniversityofPadua.
