Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-02-12

or what the lneC0aIllC sCleHCcS Cdn per
form. have been long of opinion, that,
instead of the tardy conveyance of ships
and charots, man might use the swifter
migration of wings: that the fields of the
air are open to knowledge. and that only |
ignorance and idleness need crawl upon
the ground"
This hint reliindled the princes desire
of passing the mountains having seen
what the machanist had already perform |
ed he was willing to fancy that he could
do more; yet resolved to inquire further,
before he suffered hope to atllict him by
disappointment IL am afraid" said he
to the artist. ''that your imagination pre-
walls over your skill, and that you now
tell me rather what you wish than what
you know Every animal has his
element assigned him: the birds have the
air. and man and beasts the earth.
$50" replied the mechanist "fishes have
the water, in which yet beasts can swim
by nature. and men by art. He that can
swim needs not despair to fly; to swim is
to fly in grosser fluid. and to fly is to
swim in a subtler. We are only to pro-
portion our power of resistance to the
different density of matter through which
we are to pass. You will be necessarily
upborne by the air, if you can renew any
impulse upon it faster than the air can
recede from the pressure"
"But the exercise of swimming" said
the prince. lis very laborious; the strong
est limbs are soon wearied am afraid
the act of flying will be yet more violent;
and wings will be of no great use unless
we can fly further than we can swim"
"The labor of rising from the ground"
said the artist. twill be great, as we see
it in the heavier domestic fowls, but as
we mount higher, the earth's attraction
and the body's gravity will be gradually
diminished, till we shall arrive at a re-
gion where the man will float in the air
without any tendency to fall; no care
will then be necessary but to move for
: wards, which the gentlest impulse will
: effect. You, sir. whose curiosity is so
extensive, will easily conceive with what
pleasure philosopher, furnished with
wings. and lowering in the sky, would
see the earth and all its inhabitants. roll
ing beneath him, and presenting to him
successfully, by its diurnal motion, all
the countries within the same parallel.
: How must it amuse the pendent specta-
: tor to see the moving scene of land
and ocean. cities and deserts. To survey
with equal serenity the marts of trade
and the fields of battle; mountains infest.
, ed by barbarians. and fruitful regions
: gladdened by plenty and lulled by peace
+. How easily shall we then trace the Nile
4 through all his passage: pass over to dis
= tant regions. and examine the face of ma
ture from one extremity to the other
"All this" said the prince. lis much It
be desired: but am afraid that no MAJ
will be able to breath in these regions OF
y speculation and tranquility. | hay,
! been told that respiration is difficult upon
lofty mountains. yet from these precipi
ccs. though so high "a to produce grea
lNlIhIlR VI an II - w ''Tf ~ i'i'
therefore | suspect, that. from any heigh
!, where life can be supported. there ma!
u be danger of too quick descent"
! Nothing" replied the artist, Evil
ever be attempted. if all possible objec
tions must be first overcome. If you vii
favor my project. will try the first tligh
at my own hazard. have CONSIDERS
>, the structure of all volant animals, an,
~ find the folding continuity of the BAT
wings most easily accommodated to tn
, human form. Upon this model | shal
begin my task tomorrow. and in yea
. expect to tower in the air beyond tn
"a malice and'pursuit of man. But wi
;; work only on this condition, that the al
shall not be divulged, and that you sha
-. not require me to make wings for any bl
ourselves"
Is why" said Rasselas, 'should yo
W. envy Others so great an advantage? a
no skill ought to be eXerted for univers
rh good; every man has owed much
he others, and ought to repay the kindne
ed THAT he has TcCeNtu.
nd IF men were all virtuOus," returnt
ne the artist, II should with great alacri
teach them all to fly. But what won
be the security of the good, if the b'
could at pleasure invade them from Il
sky: Against an army sailing throus
. the clouds. neither walls, nor mountain
=, nor seas could afford any security.
-; flight of northern savages might hover
- the wind, and light at once with irresis
,ad BILE violence upon the capital of a fruitf
ND region that was rolling under thel
~, Even this valley, the retreat Of prince
or the abode of happiness, might be violat
49,, by the sudden descent of some of t
=, naked nations that swarm on the coa'
49,. of the southern sea-
ara The prince promised secrecy, and wa