the dominion of the air-第6节

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　which　the　air　made　its　escape。　　To　remedy　this　defect；　Mr。　Tytler　has　got　it　covered　with　a　varnish　to　retain　the　inflammable　air　after　the　balloon　is　filled。

〃Early　this　morning　this　bold　adventurer　took　his　first　aerial　flight。　　The　balloon　being　filled　at　Comely　Garden；　he　seated　himself　in　the　basket；　and　the　ropes　being　cut　he　ascended　very　high　and　descended　quite　gradually　on　the　road　to　Restalrig；　about　half　a　mile　from　the　place　where　he　rose；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　those　spectators　who　were　present。　　Mr。　Tytler　went　up　without　the　furnace　this　morning；　when　that　is　added　he　will　be　able　to　feed　the　balloon　with　inflammable　air；　and　continue　his　aerial　excursions　as　long　as　he　chooses。

〃Mr。　Tytler　is　now　in　high　spirits；　and　in　his　turn　laughs　at　those　infidels　who　ridiculed　his　scheme　as　visionary　and　impracticable。　　Mr。　Tytler　is　the　first　person　in　Great　Britain　who　has　navigated　the　air。〃

Referring　to　this　exploit；　Tytler；　in　a　laudatory　epistle　addressed　to　Lunardi；　tells　of　the　difficulties　he　had　had　to　contend　with；　and　artlessly　reveals　the　cool；　confident　courage　he　must　have　displayed。　　No　shelter　being　available　for　the　inflation；　and　a　strong　wind　blowing；　his　first　misfortune　was　the　setting　fire　to　his　wicker　gallery。　　The　next　was　the　capsizing　and　damaging　of　his　balloon；　which　he　had　lined　with　paper。　　He　now　substituted　a　coat　of　varnish　for　the　paper；　and　his　gallery　being　destroyed；　so　that　he　could　no　longer　attempt　to　take　up　a　stove；　he　resolved　to　ascend　without　one。　　In　the　end　the　balloon　was　successfully　inflated；　when　he　had　the　hardihood　to　entrust　himself　to　a　small　basket　（used　for　carrying　earthenware）　slung　below；　and　thus　to　launch　himself　into　the　sky。　　He　did　so　under　the　conviction　that　the　risk　he　ran　was　greater　than　it　really　was；　for　he　argued　that　his　craft　was　now　only　like　a　projectile；　and　〃must　undoubtedly　come　to　the　ground　with　the　same　velocity　with　which　it　ascended。〃　　On　this　occasion　the　crowd　tried　for　some　time　to　hold　him　near　the　ground　by　one　of　the　restraining　ropes；　so　that　his　flight　was　curtailed。　　In　a　second　experiment；　however；　he　succeeded　in　rising　some　hundreds　of　feet；　and　came　to　earth　without　mishap。

But　little　further　information　respecting　Mr。　Tytler　is　apparently　forthcoming；　and　therefore　beyond　recording　the　fact　that　he　was　the　first　British　aeronaut；　and　also　that　he　was　the　first　to　achieve　a　balloon　ascent　in　Great　Britain；　we　are　unable　to　make　further　mention　of　him　in　this　history。

Of　his　illustrious　contemporary　already　mentioned　there　is；　on　the　contrary；　much　to　record；　and　we　would　desire　to　give　full　credit　to　his　admirable　courage　and　perseverance。　　It　was　with　a　certain　national　and　pardonable　pride　that　the　young　Italian　planned　his　bold　exploit；　feeling　with　a　sense　of　self…　satisfaction；　which　he　is　at　no　pains　to　hide；　that　he　aimed　at　winning　honour　for　his　country　as　well　as　for　himself。　　In　a　letter　which　he　wrote　to　his　guardian；　Chevalier　Gherardo　Compagni；　he　alludes　to　the　stolid　indifference　of　the　English　people　and　philosophers　to　the　brilliant　achievements　in　aeronautics　which　had　been　made　and　so　much　belauded　on　the　Continent。　　He　proclaims　the　rivalry　as　regards　science　and　art　existing　between　France　and　England；　attributing　to　the　latter　an　attitude　of　sullen　jealousy。　　At　the　same　time　he　is　fully　alive　to　the　necessity　of　gaining　English　patronage；　and　sets　about　securing　this　with　tactful　diplomacy。　　First　he　casts　about　for　a　suitable　spot　where　his　enterprise　would　not　fail　to　enlist　general　attention　and　perhaps　powerful　patrons；　and　here　he　is　struck　by　the　attractions　and　facilities　offered　by　Chelsea　Hospital。　　He　therefore　applies　to　Sir　George　Howard；　the　Governor；　asking　for　the　use　of　the　famous　hospital；　to　which；　on　the　occasion　of　his　experiments；　he　desires　that　admittance　should　only　be　granted　to　subscribers；　while　any　profits　should　be　devoted　to　the　pensioners　of　the　hospital。　　His　application　having　been　granted；　he　assures　his　guardian　that　he　〃still　maintains　his　mental　balance；　and　his　sleep　is　not　banished　by　the　magnitude　of　his　enterprise；　which　is　destined　to　lead　him　through　the　path　of　danger　to　glory。〃

This　letter　was　dated　the　15th　of　July；　and　by　the　beginning　of　August　his　advertisement　was　already　before　the　public；　inviting　subscribers　and　announcing　a　private　view　of　his　balloon　at　the　Lyceum；　where　it　was　m　course　of　construction；　and　was　being　fitted　with　contrivances　of　his　own　in　the　shape　of　oars　and　sails。　　He　had　by　this　time　not　only　enlisted　the　interest　of　Sir　George　Howard；　and　of　Sir　Joseph　Banks；　but　had　secured　the　direct　patronage　of　the　King。

But　within　a　fortnight　a　most　unforeseen　mishap　had　occurred；　which　threatened　to　overwhelm　Lunardi　in　disappointment　and　ruin。　　A　Frenchman　of　the　name　of　Moret；　designing　to　turn　to　his　own　advertisement　the　attention　attracted　by　Lunardi's　approaching　trials；　attempted　to　forestall　the　event　by　an　enterprise　of　his　own；　announcing　that　he　would　make　an　ascent　with　a　hot　air　balloon　in　some　gardens　near　Chelsea　Hospital；　and　at　a　date　previous　to　that　fixed　upon　by　Lunardi。　　In　attempting；　however；　to　carry　out　this　unworthy　project　the　adventurer　met　with　the　discomfiture　he　deserved。　　He　failed　to　effect　his　inflation；　and　when　after　fruitless　attempts　continued　for　three　hours；　his　balloon　refused　to　rise；　a　large　crowd；　estimated　at　60；000；　assembled　outside；　broke　into　the　enclosure；　committing　havoc　on　all　sides；　not　unattended　with　acts　of　violence　and　robbery。

The　whole　neighbourhood　became　alarmed；　and　it　followed　as　a　matter　of　course　that　Lunardi　was　peremptorily　ordered　to　discontinue　his　preparations；　and　to　announce　in　the　public　press　that　his　ascent　from　Chelsea　Hospital　was　forbidden。　　Failure　and　ruin　now　stared　the　young　enthusiast　in　the　face；　and　it　was　simply　the　generous　feeling　of　the　British　public；　and　the　desire　to　see　fair　play；　that　gave　him　another　chance。　　As　it　was；　he　became　the　hero　of　the　hour；　thousands　flocked　to　the　show　rooms　at　the　Lyceum；　and　he　shortly　obtained　fresh　grounds；　together　with　needful　protection　for　his　project；　at　the　hands　of　the　Hon。Artillery　Company。　　By　the　15th　of　September　all　incidental　difficulties；　the　mere　enumeration　of　which　would　unduly　swell　these　pages；　had　been　overcome　by　sheer　persistence；　and　Lunardi　stood　in　the　inenclosure　allotted　him；　his　preparations　in　due　order；　with　150；000　souls；　who　had　formed　for　hours　a　dense　mass　of　spectators；　watching　intently　and　now　confidently　the　issue　of　his　bold　endeavour。

But　his　anxieties　were　as　yet　far　from　over；　for　a　London　crowd　had　never　yet　witnessed　a　balloon　ascent；　while　but　a　month　ago　they　had　seen　and　wreaked　their　wrath　upon　the　failure　of　an　adventurer。　　They　were　not　likely　to　be　more　tolerant　now。　　And　when　the　advertised　hour　for　departure　had　arrived；　and　the　balloon　remained　inadequately　inflated；　matters　began　to　take　a　more　serious　turn。　　Half　an　hour　later　they　approached　a　crisis；　when　it　began　to　be　known　that　the　balloon　still　lacked　buoyancy；　and　that　the　supply　of　gas　was　manifestly　insufficient。　　The　impatience　of　the　mob　indeed　was　kept　in　restraint　by　one　man　alone。　　This　man　was　the　Prince　of　Wales　who；　refusing　to　join　the　company　within　the　building　and　careless　of　the　attitude　of　the　crowd；　remained　near　the　balloon　to　check　disorder　and　unfair　treatment。

But　an　hour　after　time　the　balloon　still　rested　inert　and　then；　with　fine　resolution；　Lunardi　tried　one　last　expedient。　　He　bade　his　colleague；　Mr。　Biggen；　who　was　to　have　ascended　with　him；　remain　behind；　and　quietly　substituting　a　smaller　and　lighter　wicker　car；　or　rather　gallery；　took　his　place　within　and　severed　the　cords　just　as　the　last　gun　fired。　　The　Prince　of　Wales　raised　his　hat；　imitated　at　once　by　all　the　bystanders；　and　the　first　balloon　that　ever　quitted　English　soil　rose　into　the　air　amid　the　extravagant　enthusiasm　of　the　multitude。　　The　intrepid　aeronaut；　pardonably　excited；　and　fearful　lest　he　should　not　be　seen　within　the　gallery；　made　frantic　efforts　to　attract　attention　by　waving　his　flag；　and　worked　his　oars　so　vigorously　that　one　of　them　broke　and　fell。　　A　pigeon　also　gained　its　freedom　and　escaped。　　The　voyager；　however；　still　retained　companions　in　his　venturea　dog　and　a　cat。

Following　his　own　account；　Lunardi's　first　act　on　finding　himself　fairly　above　the　town　was　to　fortify　himself　with　some　glasses　of　wine；　and　to　devour　the　leg　of　a　chicken。　　He　describes　the　city　as　a　vast　beehive；　St。　Paul's　and　other　churches　standing　out　prominently；　the　streets　shrunk　to　lines；　and　all　humanity　apparently　transfixed　and　watching　him。　　A　little　later　he　is　equally　struck　with　the　view　of　the　open　country；　and　his　ecstasy　is　pardonable　in　a　novice。　　The　verdant　pastures　eclipsed　the　visions　of　his　own　lands。　　The　precision　of　boundaries　impressed　him　with　a　sense　of　law　and　order；　and　of　good　administration　in　the　country　where　he　was　a　sojourner。

By　this　time　he　found　his　balloon；　which　had　been　only　two…thirds　full　at　starting；　to　be　so　distended　that　he　was　obliged　to　untie　the　mouth　to　release　the　strain。　　He　also　found　that　the　condensed　moisture　round　the　neck　had　fro