[ 109 J 



takings of the antients, the modern improvements of fcience 

 give us evident fuperiority in feveral of the arts of life and of 

 defence. 



Science is no longer reclufe, no longer inveloped in^myftery, 

 or ambitious only of idle admiration ; fhe has difcovered that 

 to be efteemed by men fhe muft be ufeful. 



In the prefent times as in the paft the power of executive- 

 government in every ftate muft in a great meafure depend upon 

 the celerity and accuracy of its intelligence : " Firft to watch 

 " and then to fpeed," is one of Lord Bacon's political maxims; 

 he advifes to " commit the beginning of aftairs to Argus with 

 " his hundred eyes, and the end to Briareus with his hundred 

 " hands." The hands that can execute are in every ftate more 

 eafily found than the eyes that can obferve. 



Whilst government is uncertain from what quarter an attack 

 may come, or in what part of the country commotions may fud- 

 denly arife, the means of affiftance muft be immediately at hand 

 in various parts ; nor whilft information is tardy or imperfed can 

 the force be proportioned to the danger ; there is perpetual ha- 

 zard of profufion or negled. But, on the contrary, if from day 

 to day and from hour to hour intelligence could be received from 

 all parts of a country, there would be time for combination and 

 arrangement ; the force of a kingdom could be colleded by a 

 wifh and direded by a word. The certainty which the people 



would 



