ow.
But after him a thousand others have followed the daring example he set.
With this ascent the memorable year 1783 closed, and the seed which had
been sown soon began to be productive.

PART II.

Chapter I. The History of Aerostation from the Year 1783.

The Open Route--Travels and Travellers--Great Increase in
the Number of Air Voyages--Lyons, Ascent of "Le Flesselles--
Milan, Ascent of Adriani--Flight of a Balloon from London--
Lost Balloons in the Chief Towns of Europe

From the year 1783, in which aerostation had its birth, and in which
it was carried to a degree of perfection, beside which the progress
of aeronauts in our days seems small, a new route was opened up for
travellers. The science of Montgolfier, the practical art of Professor
Charles, and the courage of Roziers, subdued the scepticism of those who
had not yet given in their adhesion to the possible value of the great
discovery, and throughout the whole of France a feverish degree of
enthusiasm in the art manifested itself Aerial excursions now became
quite fashionable. Let it be understood that we do not here refer to
ascents in fixed balloons, that is, in balloons which were attached to
the earth by means of ropes more or less long.

M. Biot narrates that, in his young days, when aeronautic ascents were
less known than they are in these times, there was in the plain of
Grenelle, at the mill of Javelle, an establishment where balloons were
constantly maintained for the accommodation of amateurs of both sexes
who wished to make ascents in what were called "ballons captifs," or
balloons anchored, so to speak, to the earth by means of long ropes They
were for a considerable time the rage of fashionable society, and it is
not recorded that any accidents resulted from the practice. Of course
it may be easily understood with these safe balloons the adventurous
aeronauts never ascended to any great height. The reader will find this
subject treated under the chapter of military aerostation.

We are at present specially engaged with the narrative of the first
attempts in aerostation--the first experiments in the new discovery.
We have followed with interest the exciting details of the first
adventurous ascents, in which the genius of man first essayed the
unexplored paths of the heavens. Yet a continued record of aerial
voyages would not be of the same interest. The results of subsequent
expeditions, and the impressions