The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-08-27

| course through the new regions he is about to
visit Almost all the men of mark in politics
or literature then in town were grouped around
it, including among others the Prince of Wales,
Fox, Sheridan, Burke, Sir Joshua REYNOLDS,
and Sir Joseph Banks. Rogers the poet was
also there; and his recently published Table.
talk records an incident of the scene. Fox,
growing impatient at the delay, put his hand
to his watch, and found another hand upon it,
| which he Immediately seized. any friend"
said he to the owner of the strange hand, "you
| have chosen an occupation which will some day
| be your ruin" ooh, Mr.. Fox" was the reply.
| "pray forgive me, and let me 90; have
wife and six children starving at home" Fox,
| always tender-hearted, slipped guinea into his
hand, and then released it. At the conclusion
| of the show, Fox was proceeding to look what
| time it was. "Good Godi" said he, "my
watch is gone" eyes" said his brother.
| General Fox, ~ know it is. / saw your friend
take it." Saw him take it, and made no at
| tempt to stop him | was the indignant re-
spouse. Really" said General Fox, "you
| and he appeared to be on such good terms that
did not choose to interfere"
1t is now half past one, and DR.. Fordyce is
| still engaged in filling the balloon with Sin.
| fammable air, through complicated arrange
| ment of leathern nooses. The gas itself is hy.
drogen, manufactured from an infusion of zinc in
vltriolic acid, the properties of common coal
| gas being then unknown. Lunardi and Mr.. Big
| gin, the gentleman who is to accom- pany him
are busily engaged in completing their prepare
| tons; and the visiters around them, with true
English love of betting, are giving and taking
| the odds about the probability of their return
| alive. The hour fixed for the ascent is passed !;
and the mob outside, pent up in narrow quar-.
tiers since an early hour in the morning, are be-
ginning to get clamorous. DR.. Fordyce thinks
the balloon is not sufficiently inflated 10 take up
Its freight, for at present it is only pearshaped
but with the horrid populace in prospect, it is
not considered advisable to wait any longer.
Lunardi and his friend jump into the car there
is an anxious pause, and, after moments vi.
bration, the cumbrous machine reclines heavily
to mother earth. A murmur of dissatisfaction
runs through the assembly, and each man be-
gins to feel himself duped. Already the sensi-
tive aeronaut hears his ascent pronounced an
imposition, and himself branded as a swindler.
All is confusion and uproar, for the hoarse roar
of the living sea without threatens havoc, and
the courtiers are entreating the prince to leave
the ground. The displeasure hanging over
u.s. says Lunsrdi, would have been fatal, if
in one moment Mr.. Bggin had not the hero
ism to relinquish, and 1 the resolution to 90
alone" smaller car is hastily substituted,
rushes into it. There is a warm farewell from
his personal friends, for every one looks upon
his return as very problematical. The Prince
and all the company, with one accord, take off
their hats; the ropes are cut, and, with the
boom of the signal gun, the first English bal
loon rises buoyantly into the air, amid the fran
tic acclsmations of nearly 100000 spectators,
who only moment before, had been indulging
In the loudest shouts of menace. "Insensible,"
said the Morning Post of the next day, "must
that heart be, which did not feel itself anxious
and interested at that moment for the fate of
him who intrepidly stepped into his seat, and,
Phaeton-like, seized the reins which were to
guide the chariot of the sum-"
At tAe tabiaaqar fe' h gfo8uhd but, continues
the reporter, in the same style, "roused by am-
bition and spirit of philosophical researches,
Mr.. Lunardi rebuked its fear, and gave swift
ness to its airy fight" In the account of his
trip which Lunardi published soon after, he
enters OF length into his sensations. 81 saw"
ne says sail London beneath me, like an enor.
nous beehive, but the industry of it was sus
pended. Ali the moving mass seemed to have
no object but myself; and the transition from
the suspicion and contempt of the preceding
hour, to the afectionate transport, admiration,
and glory, of the present, was not without its
effect on my mind"
He tells US that the critics are wrong in hold.
ing terror to be an Ingredient in every sublime
sensation, for he was never freer from appre-
hension in his life, and speaks in ecstaces of
the motion, compared with which, "the broom
sticks of the witches, Ariosto's flying horse,
and even Millions sunbeam conveying the angel
to the earth, have all an idea of effort, difficult
ty, and restraint" At half past three, he de-
scended in a corn-Geld near South Mimms, in
Hertfordshire, where he landed cat that he
had brought with him, and again reascended.
he contrived to bring himself down by working
with his oars, and had therefore expended none
OF his gas. After an hours further Journey,
during which he wrote and threw down several
letters to his friends, he finally lowered himself
over a meadow in the parish of Stondon, near
Ware. Some laborers were at work under.
meath him, and Lunsrdi begged their assistance
to secure the balloon; but they all appeared
horror struck, and refused to move. One ex-
cused himself because he was too short anoth-
or said he did not like the look of it; and
third honestly declared he would have nothing
to do with one Who came on the "deviPs
horse" Upon his nearer approach, they fairly
took to their heels and the Decentralization
would have been attended with great danger,
had it not been for the spirit of young girl,
who grssped rope which Lunardi threw her,
and held it till General Smith, and other gen.
| tlemen who had followed him from London on
horseback, came up. The newcomers aided in
securing the machine, and bore off Lunardi in
triumph to the Bull Inn, at Ware, and after
wards to Bayford Bury, the seat of Mr.. Baker,
the member for Hartford.
| Such was the prosperous ending of the first
aerial excursion in England. Lunardi, of
course, became the lion of the town, The Jour-
mails were filled with odes in praise of his dar-
| tbo
Lord Mayor Toasted him in the city. In the
curious little brochure published on the occa.
sion, he reoounts with great gravity many Incl.
dents connected with his journey. While he
lowered over London, George III was holding
Cabinet council. Ga being told the balloon
was passing, his Majesty said: ave may re-
sumo our deliberations at pleasure, but we may
never see poor Lunardi again." The confer
ence Immediately broke up, and the King and
Mr.. Pitt took to their telescopes. One young
lady mistook one of the oars which he accident.
ally dropped from the balloon for the aeronaut
himself, and was 80 affected with the crcum.
stance that she took to her bed, and died soon
after. A Judge, to whom he mentioned this
circumstance, at the Mansion. House dinner,
told him not to be concerned at the loss he had
occasioned, for he had undoubtedly saved the
life Of a notorious house breaker, whose Jury
were so amazed at the novel sight over the Old
Bailey that they incontinently returned YER
dict of acquittal.
The success of his first attempt induced
Lunardi to make several other trials in various
parts of the Kingdom. The year following, he
went to Edinburgh, where he made two ascents
from the gardens of Heriot's Hospital, the last
of which considerably cooled his passion for
aeronautics, as, the winds being unpropitious,
he fell into the sea near the Isle of May, and,
after bath of many hours, was picked up by