A quadruplet of inventions / [Thomas Northmore].

  • Thomas Northmore
Date:
[1799]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

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    Permit me to conclude this letter with \ an example of a contrivance much in ufe among the Spartans. It was called the Scytale, and may be thus defcribed from Plutarch and Suidas. When the magiflrates of Sparta wifhed to convey any intelligence of importance to the General of their armies, they ufed to wrap a long narrow flip of parchment round a Itaff in fo regular a manner as to leave no interltice. Upon this they * wrote their orders. The parchment was then unwound, and fent to the General, who, having another ftaff of exaSily the fame dimenlions, applied it in the fame manner, and thus thofe characters which were before without fhape or connection became perfectly legible. V. V. THO. NORTHMORE.
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