By its neglect, many have run the risk of losing their lives, as Porta, Bk.I.c.4, recounts, and, most notable case of all, King Henry IV. of France brought upon himself, as is shown by Walch, Decad.Fab.,9.p.193, the famous defeat at Aurelius.

The Subject to whom is either the men of learning only (see, on this point, Porta, p.22), or, in the course of business and in the ordinary social relations of life, our distant friends above all, to whom we consider it of interest to know our plans, our undertakings, and such matters as are beneficial to both them and us, or, finally, even ourselves, if we have that which we wish to guard as a secret, that we may not forget the same.

Finally, there is the Internal End, or the Medium, - the Medium, namely, by which we arrive in due form at the Remote End.  The Internal End is the concealment of the secret, - not every sort of concealment, but such as is made through the instrumentality of the written letter, or, in other words, writing, - be it writing in the strict sense of the word or writing improperly called.  The reason why no mention is here made of speech, I touch on above.

Of writing, properly called, the Proximate Cause is the Position of the letters.  In this connection there come under consideration the Form, the Order, and the Power, while the Mode of Writing also belongs to this enquiry.  The Instrument of Writing is the stylus or pen; the Material on which, principally paper; the Material from which, ink; the End, the Epistle;  the Necessary Consequent, the Transmission.  And from all these, as fundamental parts, may be constructed the methods of hidden writing, as will appear more clearly in what follows.  So much for the definition. What remains to be written in regard to this Internal End, which, with respect to the Remote End, is simply a Medium, as well as these matters which pertain to writing improperly called, will all be recorded in the proper places, that is, in Bk. II, c.2, and Bk. VIII.c.8ff.