lt　of　this　being　at　the　time　overlooked。
  On　August　25；　1783；　the　balloon　was　liberated　on　the　Champ　de　Mars　before　an　enormous　concourse；　and　in　less　than　two　minutes　had　reached　an　elevation　of　half　a　mile；　when　it　was　temporarily　lost　in　cloud；　through　which；　however；　it　penetrated；　climbing　into　yet　higher　cloud；　when；　disappearing　from　sight；　it　presently　burst　and　descended　to　earth　after　remaining　in　the　air　some　three…quarters　of　an　hour。
  The　bursting　of　this　little　craft　taught　the　future　balloonist　his　first　great　lesson；　namely；　that　on　leaving　earth　he　must　open　the　neck　of　his　balloon；　and　the　reason　of　this　is　obvious。　　While　yet　on　earth　the　imprisoned　gas　of　a　properly　filled　balloon　distends　the　silk　by　virtue　of　its　expansive　force；　and　in　spite　of　the　enormous　outside　pressure　which　the　weight　of　air　exerts　upon　it。　　Then；　as　the　balloon　rises　high　in　the　air　and　the　outside　pressure　grows　less；　the　struggling　gas　within；　if　allowed　no　vent；　stretches　the　balloon　more　and　more　until　the　slender　fabric　bursts　under　the　strain。
  At　the　risk　of　being　tedious；　we　have　dwelt　at　some　length　on　the　initial　experiments　which　in　less　than　a　single　year　had　led　to　the　discovery　and　development　of　two　distinct　methodsstill　employed　and　in　competition　with　each　otherof　dismissing　balloons　into　the　heavens。　　We　are　now　prepared　to　enter　fully　into　the　romantic　history　of　our　subject　which　from　this　point　rapidly　unfolds　itself。
  Some　eleven　months　only　after　the　two　Montgolfiers　were　discovered　toying　with　their　inflated　paper　bag；　the　younger　of　the　two　brothers　was　engaged　to　make　an　exhibition　of　his　new　art　before　the　King　at　Versailles；　and　this　was　destined　to　be　the　first　occasion　when　a　balloon　was　to　carry　a　living　freight　into　the　sky。　　The　stately　structure；　which　was　gorgeously　decorated；　towered　some　seventy　feet　into　the　air；　and　was　furnished　with　a　wicker　car　in　which　the　passengers　were　duly　installed。　　These　were　three　in　number；　a　sheep；　a　cock；　and　a　duck；　and　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　multitude；　rose　a　few　hundred　feet　and　descended　half　a　mile　away。　　The　cock　was　found　to　have　sustained　an　unexplained　mishap：　　its　leg　was　broken；　but　the　sheep　was　feeding　complacently；　and　the　duck　was　quacking　with　much　apparent　satisfaction。
  Now；　who　among　mortals　will　come　forward　and　win　the　honour　of　being　the　first　to　sail　the　skies？　　M。　Pilitre　de　Rozier　at　once　volunteered；　and　by　the　month　of　November　a　new　air　ship　was　built；　74　feet　high；　48　feet　in　largest　diameter；　and　15　feet　across　the　neck；　outside　which　a　wicker　gallery　was　constructed；　while　an　iron　brazier　was　slung　below　all。　　But　to　trim　the　boat　properly　two　passengers　were　needed；　and　de　Rozier　found　a　ready　colleague　in　the　Marquis　d'Arlandes。　　By　way　of　precaution；　de　Rozier　made　a　few　preliminary　ascents　with　the　balloon　held　captive；　and　then　the　two　intrepid　Frenchmen　took　their　stand　on　opposite　sides　of　the　gallery；　each　furnished　with　bundles　of　fuel　to　feed　the　furnace；　each　also　carrying　a　large　wet　sponge　with　which　to　extinguish　the　flames　whenever　the　machine　might　catch　fire。　　On　casting　off　the　balloon　rose　readily；　and　reaching　3；000　feet；　drifted　away　on　an　upper　current。
  The　rest　of　the　narrative；　much　condensed　from　a　letter　of　the　Marquis；　written　a　week　later；　runs　somewhat　thus：　　〃Our　departure　was　at　fifty…four　minutes　past　one；　and　occasioned　little　stir　among　the　spectators。　　Thinking　they　might　be　frightened　and　stand　in　need　of　encouragement；　I　waved　my　arm。　　M。　de　Rozier　cried；　'You　are　doing　nothing；　and　we　are　not　rising！'　　I　stirred　the　fire；　and　then　began　to　scan　the　river；　but　Pilitre　cried　again；　'See　the　river；　we　are　dropping　into　it！'　　We　again　urged　the　fire；　but　still　clung　to　the　river　bed。　　Presently　I　heard　a　noise　in　the　upper　part　of　the　balloon；　which　gave　a　shock　as　though　it　had　burst。　　I　called　to　my　companion；　'Are　you　dancing？'　　The　balloon　by　now　had　many　holes　burned　in　it；　and　using　my　sponge　I　cried　that　we　must　descend。　　My　companion；　however；　explained　that　we　were　over　Paris；　and　must　now　cross　it。　　Therefore；　raising　the　fire　once　more；　we　turned　south　till　we　passed　the　Luxemburg；　when；　extinguishing　the　flame；　the　balloon　came　down　spent　and　empty。〃
  Daring　as　was　this　ascent；　it　was　in　achievement　eclipsed　two　months　later　at　Lyons；　when　a　mammoth　balloon；　130　feet　in　height　and　lifting　18　tons；　was　inflated　in　seventeen　minutes；　and　ascended　with　no　less　than　seven　passengers。　　When　more　than　half　a　mile　aloft　this　machine；　which　was　made　of　too　slender　material　for　its　huge　size；　suddenly　developed　a　rent　of　half　its　length；　causing　it　to　descend　with　immense　velocity；　but　without　the　smallest　injury　to　any　of　the　passengers。　　This　was　a　memorable　performance；　and　the　account；　sensational　as　it　may　read；　is　by　no　means　unworthy　of　credit；　for；　as　will　be　seen　hereafter；　a　balloon　even　when　burst　or　badly　torn　in　midair　may；　on　the　principle　of　the　parachute；　effect　its　own　salvation。
  In　the　meanwhile；　the　rival　balloon　of　hydrogen　gasthe　Charliere；　as　it　has　been　calledhad　had　its　first　innings。　　Before　the　close　of　the　year　MM。　Roberts　and　Charles　constructed　and　inflated　a　hydrogen　balloon；　this　time　fitted　with　a　practicable　valve；　and　in　partnership　accomplished　an　ascent　beating　all　previous　records。　　The　day；　December　17；　was　one　of　winter　temperature；　yet　the　aeronauts　quickly　reached　6；000　feet；　and　when；　after　remaining　aloft　for　one　and　a　half　hours；　they　descended；　Roberts　got　out；　leaving　Charles　in　sole　possession。　　Left　to　himself；　this　young　recruit　seems　to　have　met　with　experiences　which　are　certainly　unusual；　and　which　must　be　attributed　largely　to　the　novelty　of　his　situation。　　He　declared　that　at　9；000　feet；　or　less　than　two　miles；　all　objects　on　the　earth　had　disappeared　from　view；　a　statement　which　can　only　be　taken　to　mean　that　he　had　entered　cloud。　　Further；　at　this　moderate　elevation　he　not　only　became　benumbed　with　cold；　but　felt　severe　pain　in　his　right　ear　and　jaw。　　He　held　on；　however；　ascending　till　10；500　feet　were　reached；　when　he　descended；　having　made　a　journey　of　thirty　miles　from　the　start。
  Ascents；　all　on　the　Continent；　now　followed　one　another　in　rapid　succession；　and　shortly　the　MM。　Roberts　essayed　a　venture　on　new　lines。　　They　attempted　the　guidance　of　a　balloon　by　means　of　oars；　and　though　they　failed　in　this　they　were　fortunate　in　making　a　fresh　record。　　They　also　encountered　a　thunderstorm；　and　by　adopting　a　perfectly　scientific　methodof　which　more　hereaftersucceeded　in　eluding　it。　　The　storm　broke　around　them　when　they　were　14；000　feet　high；　and　at　this　altitude；　noting　that　there　were　diverse　currents　aloft；　they　managed　to　manoeuvre　their　balloon　higher　or　lower　at　will　and　to　suit　their　purpose；　and　by　this　stratagem　drew　away　from　the　storm　centre。　　After　six　and　a　half　hours　their　voyage　ended；　but　not　until　150　miles　had　been　covered。
  It　must　be　freely　granted　that　prodigious　progress　had　been　made　in　an　art　that　as　yet　was　little　more　than　a　year　old；　but　assuredly　not　enough　to　justify　the　absurdly　inflated　ideas　that　the　Continental　public　now　began　to　indulge　in。　　Men　lost　their　mental　balance；　allowing　their　imagination　to　run　riot；　and　speculation　became　extravagant　in　the　extreme。　　There　was　to　be　no　limit　henceforward　to　the　attainment　of　fresh　knowledge；　nor　any　bounds　placed　to　where　man　might　roam。　　The　universe　was　open　to　him：　　he　might　voyage　if　he　willed　to　the　moon　or　elsewhere：　　Paris　was　to　be　the　starting　point　for　other　worlds：　　Heaven　itself　had　been　taken　by　storm。
  Moderation　had　to　be　learned　ere　long　by　the　discipline　of　more　than　one　stern　lesson。　　Hitherto　a　marvellouscall　it　a　Providentialgood　fortune　had　attended　the　first　aerial　travellers；　and　even　when　mishaps　presently　came　to　be　reckoned　with；　it　may　fairly　be　questioned　whether　so　many　lives　were　sacrificed　among　those　who　sought　to　voyage　through　the　sky　as　were　lost　among　such　as　first　attempted　to　navigate　the　sea。
  It　is　in　such　ventures　as　we　are　now　regarding　that　fortune　seems　readiest　to　favour　the　daring；　and　if　I　may　digress　briefly　to　adduce　experiences　coming　within　my　own　knowledge；　I　would　say　that　it　is　to　his　very　impulsiveness　that　the　enthusiast　often　owes　the　safety　of　his　neck。　　It　is　the　timid；　not　the　bold　rider；　that　comes　to　grief　at　the　fence。　　It　is　the　man　who　draws　back　who　is　knocked　over　by　a　tramcar。　　Sheer　impetus；　moral　or　physical；　often　carries　you　through；　as　in　the　case　of　a　fall　from　horse…back。　　To　tumble　off　when　your　horse　is　standing　still　and　receive　a　dead　blow　from　the　ground　might　easily　break　a　limb。　　But　at　full　gallop　immunity　often　lies　in　the　fact　that　you　strike　the　earth　at　an　angle；　and　being　carried　forward；　impact　is　less　abrupt。　　I　can　only　say　that　I　have　on　more　than　one　occasion　found　the　greatest　safety　in　a　balloon　venture　involving　the　element　of　risk　to　lie　in　complete　abandonment　to　circumstances；　and　in　the　increased　life　and　activity　which　the　delirium　of　excitement　calls　forth。　　In　comparing；　however；　man's　first　ventures　by　sky　with　those　by　sea；　we　must　remember　what　far　greater　demand　the　former　must　have　made　upon　the　spirit　of　enterprise　and　daring。
  We