I consider Courts with the same Regard to the Governments which they superintend, as Ovid’s Palace of Fame with regard to the Universe.  The Eyes of a watchful Minister run through the whole People.  There is scarce a Murmur or Complaint that does not reach his Ears.  They have News-gatherers and Intelligencers distributed into their several Walks and Quarters, who bring in their respective Quotas, and make them acquainted with the Discourse and Conversation of the whole Kingdom or Common-wealth where they are employed.  The wisest of Kings, alluding to these invisible and unsuspected Spies, who are planted by Kings and Rulers over their Fellow-Citizens, as well as to those Voluntary Informers that are buzzing about the Ears of a great Man, and making their Court by such secret Methods of Intelligence, has given us a very prudent Caution:  Curse not the King, no not in thy Thought, and Curse not the Rich in thy Bedchamber:  For a Bird of the Air shall carry the Voice, and that which hath Wings shall tell the matter. [2]

As it is absolutely necessary for Rulers to make use of other People’s Eyes and Ears, they should take particular Care to do it in such a manner, that it may not bear too hard on the Person whose Life and Conversation are enquired into.  A Man who is capable of so infamous a Calling as that of a Spy, is not very much to be relied upon.  He can have no great Ties of Honour, or Checks of Conscience, to restrain him in those covert Evidences, where the Person accused has no Opportunity of vindicating himself.  He will be more industrious to carry that which is grateful, than that which is true.

There will be no Occasion for him, if he does not hear and see things worth Discovery; so that he naturally inflames every Word and Circumstance, aggravates what is faulty, perverts what is good, and misrepresents what is indifferent.  Nor is it to be doubted but that such ignominious Wretches let their private Passions into these their clandestine Informations, and often wreck their particular Spite or Malice against the Person whom they are set to watch.  It is a pleasant Scene enough, which an Italian Author describes between a Spy, and a Cardinal who employed him.  The Cardinal is represented as minuting down every thing that is told him.  The Spy begins with a low Voice, Such an one, the Advocate, whispered to one of his Friends, within my Hearing, that your Eminence was a very great Poultron; and after having given his Patron time to take it down, adds that another called him a Mercenary Rascal in a publick Conversation.  The Cardinal replies, Very well, and bids him go on.  The Spy proceeds, and loads him with Reports of the same Nature, till the Cardinal rises in great Wrath, calls him an impudent Scoundrel, and kicks him out of the Room.