THE GUN, AND HOW TO USE IT. 85 



forethought as if on the profoundest calculation, and ac- 

 complishing results, in the twinkling of an eye, to arrive 

 at which scientifically would require the solution of intri- 

 cate problems. 



The master of his gun once, moreover, is master of the 

 art for ever, and of all guns ; and let what improvements or 

 changes soever take place in the science, none will occur, 

 in which he will not immediately participate, and find his 

 ancient superiority still available. 



For all improvements simplify, facilitate, add, in a 

 word, to the power of the weapon, or to the celerity of the 

 performance, or to the convenience of the performer. 



If the change render it more dim cult to shoot well, it is 

 a retrograde step, not an improvement. For example, the 

 percussion system is now, in spite of all old-fashioned 

 prejudice and opposition, an admitted improvement on the 

 old flint-and-steel system ; and one, not the least, of its 

 advantages is, that it has so mu'ch simplified the art of 

 shooting flying, that there are now ten good shots, where 

 there was one, forty years ago. 



Consequently, the person who had learned with much 

 toil and labor to shoot excellently with the old flint lock, 

 took up the new percussion piece, and found himself at 

 once, with no farther trouble, twice as good a shot as he 

 was before. It was to himas if his old gun had suddenly 

 doubled its celerity and accuracy of aim. It is certain 

 that no good shot, with flint and steel, ever found himself a 

 bad one with percussion, even on the first trial. Equally 

 certain it is, that, take twenty crack shots with the per- 

 cussion, and give them the best and most perfectly finished 



