The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not be swayed by petty doubts.

Of all those in the army close to the commander, none is more intimate than the secret agent.

Now an army is exposed to six several calamities, not arising from natural causes, 1 but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are: (1) Flight; (2) insubordination; (3) collapse; (4) ruin; (5) disorganisation; (6) rout.

Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations.

The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources; too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress.

Thus, though I have heard of successful military operations that were clumsy but swift, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.