Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-04
LEONARDO DA YIECI, AVIATOR
Great Leader Of Renaissance Spent
Years Studying Flying.
THOUGHT II ACNE OF FREEDOM
Even I'm the Stress of Creative Worth
of Wonderful Character Da
vinei Had Secret Experi-
ments In Workshop.
I'M HENRY norLoN.

Member of the Freaeh Academy.
In his ''Propos de TAble." Victor Hugo
asserted that the discovery Of the flying
machine was merely a question " hours.
The Satyr Of the "Leagende dss Siecles, :
by the way, took great pleasure in an
nouncing this to the olymp.ans among
the conservative gods. 1t Is very lucky,
indeed. that there are Inventors TO exc
cute the orders of the poets. and the least
thing We can do fer them Is 70 permit
them TO take their time.
II was a very long time We had 10 walt
for the science that was 10 make US like
unto birds. Ths mueh-bemonned Icarus
did his best to fulfill this longing OF
humanity II would DO unjust TO blame
him because he failed, for the time was
not yet ripe. Since then Il has ripened
slowly. and tomorrow perhaps the predie-
ton Of Victor Hugo's Satyr shall be full
filled and there will then DO great joy
in paradise among the forerunners.
Il told you So" Victor Hugo VIII cry.
But somebody will answer him thus:
MY dear colleague. all you did was
70 say ~ 1tAa yoa tia ~ w 80 f+NsN-
metaphors. but !. Leonardo da YincL
spent many slsepless night studying the
problem"
Da vfnei Dreamed of Flying.
The problem of the man bird. indeed.
did keep Leonardo da vinci awake many
nights. For thirty years he dreamed and
schsmed to solve IL. The day when man
travels free and easily like q bird through
air, his FIRST pilgrimage ought 10 be
Miiano, to Leonardo do vinef's home.
Flying, indeed. was q desire worthy
Of his noble and ambitious soul To the
superman Of Renaissance the victory
over grayitntion represented the acme OF
freedom. He thought Of Il always, but
there Is nothing 20 show that he told his
contemporaries anything Of his ambition.
Aviation does not figure on the nst OF
wonders he promised Ludovic. II the
duke Of Afilano would engage his services
he promised to construct bridges. TO draw
the water from meats. 10 supply sx-
plosives. TO dig underground passages
and 10 execute works OF sculpture In
marble bronze or clay. as well AZ paintings
equal to thossa Of any other man"
He adds IF things should appear I'M
possible 20 anybody I suggest. nlustrious
!, sire. TO experiment with them In your
park"
kept mystery In workshop.
He surrendered TO the duke OF Miiano
only his talents as an engineer and an
artist. but kept for his own workshop the
mystery OF the greatest ambition Of his
genius. Ono wonders how much time he
Z had 10 himself His 'lifs- at Milano was
ono continued squirt OF energy which did
not seem TO leave him q single hour tor
rest recreation. He makes sculptures.
paints. builds. plays the lutte. makes
military engines OF attack. organizes fcs-
tivAis. gives himself up 20 n thousand
mercsnAry tasks but still his manu-
scripts are there TO prove that. even 50,
he found time TO be hione.
He was careful not 70 promise his
dsspot to experiment with q flying ma.
chine in his park. Lndovic. who was the
J most rcstlessly curious OF men. would not
have left him moments peace His
reputation good among the writer's OF
history. who forrsve him his perfidiss
ana vices because he earnestly tried 70
make Milano the Athens Of Italy anf be-
cause the doors Of his palace were wide
open to. all men with IDEAS. He
was an Intelligent but not a great
prince ~ Leonardo had told him
Of his chief ambition. Ludovie would havs
demanded pair Of wings for his next
earousal. and Leonardo. who was a
faithful and oblising employee. would have
bean capable OF fulfilling his wish. n only
to get peace.
Credited with Uncanny Talent.
vind preferred tho secret struggle with
the impossible to the pride Of discovery
or invention. Somebody has said that he
had within him wonderful sorcerer.
Several Of his bloxraphsrs have tried %
discover n he belonged TO secret sect
Eugene Muentz has conscisntlously dis.
ensssd the question n he were magician,
. rceder Of the stars. Gabriel d'An.
nunxio has answered this question In thu
affirmative In the beautiful drama writ
ten for his '-rhsater Of tho Soul Edouard
SEIZURE ists Leonardo say in answer to 9
question Of . pupil - % when he vii
teach him music: when the human
sAsie soars into space like king Of
bridal ! shall teach you music. Far.
fHnfkio. when ] know how to n.y."
stnfyfng tbs iife OF Leonardo do Vine
clossly, we discover and understand why
NJ kspt hk most intimate thoughts 80
crst II he had revealed them all. h
would have shocked humanity, even thai