CHAPTERXIX.BALLOON STILL RE-ASCENDING.Balloon vertical over Aston, for 8 Minutes.Section 107.THE Balloon being nowwhollyunconfined, continued torisewithgreatRapidity: crossed the Meadow in the Sea-Breeze, and remained asbefore, for 6 or 8 Minutes,—by Intervalsgentlyturning on its Axis—almost whollyverticalover Aston-Hall, but rather more to theEastwardof it.The Country still exhibitedbright gayandextensiveProspects.108.ThreeSail ofVesselsappeared in theChannel: andfour morewere sailing down the River Wever,apparentlyjust under the Balloon, diminishing tomere Cockle-Shells, or likeBoatswhich havenoRigging.Shouts continued.Corn and Cattle were visible in the Fields and Meadows.Aston, tho’ alargeandelegant Mansion, appeared like aHousewhich ChildrenbuildwithCards.Chilliness felt at the same Height in re-ascending.109. A Chilliness in the Air was again perceived in rising, as he imagined, to thesameHeight at which he felt it indescending, indicated by the Thermometer at 55°. (Sect. 92.)He then found himself inclined to taste theBrandy and Water, ready mixed by his Order, and to eat a Biscuit: but on putting the Liquor to his Lips; thought ittoostrong, so drank none, nor eat any Thing.110. ThethreeSail, and theChannel disappeared.Riverred.The River put on a deepredColour, like the Dee. Its Meanders seemed toencrease; as its Widthdiminishedto abroadLine. Its Water waslostto the Sight.Corn and Cattle were no longer distinguishable.The House at Aston was yet a beautiful tho’ minute Object: the Balloonmoving several Times round it; as if loth to quitthatand the River.The Cascade was become awhiteLine: and thefineBridge below, ayellow Strawcrossing the broadredStreak.Of thefourVessels in the Wever,notanAtomvisible.The Shouting entirely ceased.Rocks Woods and Meads reduced to acoloured Plainof themellowestTints.111. Thebluescattered Houses, wide public Road called Sutton-Causeway over Frodsham Marsh, the Meadows Fields and Woods, theloftyHills, Helsbye Crag and Halton-Tower, werereducedtoone commonLevel; and diminished to the Size and Semblance of acolouredMap, but it was thesuperbandfinished ColouringofNature.Balloon higher than at thefirstAscent.112. Ceasing to lookdownon the smoothLawnsbelow, which werenowof the richest andfullestPatterns, seen as throu’ thesmallor inverted End of a common Perspective-Glass, andspun, as it were, to afine Thread; Pleasureand Delight, tho’ of another Kind, fill’d the Imagination of the Beholder: who, raising his Eyes on a Level with himself, so as to lookstraight beforehim; found that the Balloon hadalready, and almost beyond his own Belief, soared to so amazing a Height in the Atmosphere, as to raise himfarabove theRimof the immense Bowl or Crater; and that it was stillstealingwithRapidityupwards.Contemplation of the Prospect.113. During the Contemplation of this magnificent Prospect, aperfectCalm took Place, andsoothing Silencereigned.And thus; fora whiledetached,fardetached from Earth, andallterrestrial Thoughts; wrapt in themild Azureof theetherialRegions; suspended in the Center of a vast and almost endless Concave; come, as amereVisitor, fromanotherPlanet; surrounded with the stupendous Works ofNature, yetabovethem;—theglorious Sunexcept, which enlivenedall, and shonewith pure celestial Lustre;—a peacefulSerenityofMindsucceeded; anenviableEUROIA.[36]An Idea of which it is not in the Power of Language to convey, or to describe.
CHAPTERXIX.
Balloon vertical over Aston, for 8 Minutes.
Section 107.THE Balloon being nowwhollyunconfined, continued torisewithgreatRapidity: crossed the Meadow in the Sea-Breeze, and remained asbefore, for 6 or 8 Minutes,—by Intervalsgentlyturning on its Axis—almost whollyverticalover Aston-Hall, but rather more to theEastwardof it.
The Country still exhibitedbright gayandextensiveProspects.
108.ThreeSail ofVesselsappeared in theChannel: andfour morewere sailing down the River Wever,apparentlyjust under the Balloon, diminishing tomere Cockle-Shells, or likeBoatswhich havenoRigging.
Shouts continued.
Corn and Cattle were visible in the Fields and Meadows.
Aston, tho’ alargeandelegant Mansion, appeared like aHousewhich ChildrenbuildwithCards.
Chilliness felt at the same Height in re-ascending.
109. A Chilliness in the Air was again perceived in rising, as he imagined, to thesameHeight at which he felt it indescending, indicated by the Thermometer at 55°. (Sect. 92.)
He then found himself inclined to taste theBrandy and Water, ready mixed by his Order, and to eat a Biscuit: but on putting the Liquor to his Lips; thought ittoostrong, so drank none, nor eat any Thing.
110. ThethreeSail, and theChannel disappeared.
Riverred.
The River put on a deepredColour, like the Dee. Its Meanders seemed toencrease; as its Widthdiminishedto abroadLine. Its Water waslostto the Sight.
Corn and Cattle were no longer distinguishable.
The House at Aston was yet a beautiful tho’ minute Object: the Balloonmoving several Times round it; as if loth to quitthatand the River.
The Cascade was become awhiteLine: and thefineBridge below, ayellow Strawcrossing the broadredStreak.
Of thefourVessels in the Wever,notanAtomvisible.
The Shouting entirely ceased.
Rocks Woods and Meads reduced to acoloured Plainof themellowestTints.
111. Thebluescattered Houses, wide public Road called Sutton-Causeway over Frodsham Marsh, the Meadows Fields and Woods, theloftyHills, Helsbye Crag and Halton-Tower, werereducedtoone commonLevel; and diminished to the Size and Semblance of acolouredMap, but it was thesuperbandfinished ColouringofNature.
Balloon higher than at thefirstAscent.
112. Ceasing to lookdownon the smoothLawnsbelow, which werenowof the richest andfullestPatterns, seen as throu’ thesmallor inverted End of a common Perspective-Glass, andspun, as it were, to afine Thread; Pleasureand Delight, tho’ of another Kind, fill’d the Imagination of the Beholder: who, raising his Eyes on a Level with himself, so as to lookstraight beforehim; found that the Balloon hadalready, and almost beyond his own Belief, soared to so amazing a Height in the Atmosphere, as to raise himfarabove theRimof the immense Bowl or Crater; and that it was stillstealingwithRapidityupwards.
Contemplation of the Prospect.
113. During the Contemplation of this magnificent Prospect, aperfectCalm took Place, andsoothing Silencereigned.
And thus; fora whiledetached,fardetached from Earth, andallterrestrial Thoughts; wrapt in themild Azureof theetherialRegions; suspended in the Center of a vast and almost endless Concave; come, as amereVisitor, fromanotherPlanet; surrounded with the stupendous Works ofNature, yetabovethem;—theglorious Sunexcept, which enlivenedall, and shonewith pure celestial Lustre;—a peacefulSerenityofMindsucceeded; anenviableEUROIA.[36]An Idea of which it is not in the Power of Language to convey, or to describe.