A herb dealer justifies the price of his herbs to an alchemist sitting at a desk. Pen drawing by G. Morrow, 1909.

1909

1 drawing : pen and ink ; image 20.9 x 27.6 cm

Alchemist (to herb dealer) "Methinks thou art overcharging me for the liver-wort root". Herb dealer. "Nay, good sir, but remember that I had to gather it on St. Stephen's night in the dark of the moon with my right foot on a toad and my left in a running stream, with three vipers in my right hand, keeping my eyes shut, and repeating the paternoster backwards, with my face to the north and my back to the east". Geo. Morrow. Lettering continues: "with my right foot on a toad and my left in a running stream, with three vipers in my right hand, keeping my eyes shut, and repeating the paternoster backwards, with my face to the north and my back to the east". "Geo. Morrow" is written inside the image

Wellcome Collection 37923i