A quadruplet of inventions / [Thomas Northmore].

  • Northmore, Thomas, 1766-1851
Date:
[1799]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A quadruplet of inventions / [Thomas Northmore]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    an accurate account of a no£iurna! one, invented by Cleoxenus, or Democlitus, and improved by himfelf, of which the following is an abridgement. He begins by obferving, that as oppor¬ tunity is of great confequence in all hu¬ man affairs, fo is it especially in war, and of all the various inventions that have contributed to its attainment, none has been of fuch fervice as that of fignals by fire. But this contrivance is in fome meafure rendered ufelefs by reafon of its too great fimplicity; every circumflance mu.fi be agreed upon before-hand ; if therefore, out of the infinite variety of human concerns, any event fhould hap¬ pen unprovided for, fuch a method would be of no avail. To remedy this defeat, continues Polybius, let the whole al¬ phabet be difiributed into five columns, each of which, except the lafi, wall con¬ tain five letters. Thefe columns are then to be fixed upon five tablets of wood ; and the parties who are to give and re¬ ceive