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 difficult to shoot well, it is 
EA 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 much 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 him as 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 
