CHAPTERXXIII.AIR WARMER ABOVE THAN BELOW.Section 126.IT was a Matter both of Surprize and Pleasure to observe that the Thermometer had risenagainto 60, when the Balloon had soaredabovethe Sea-Breeze; as the Aironaut had expected to feel the extreme Rigour of Winter; and had made Preparations againstintenseCold.Nor did he find any Difficulty in Respirationduringthe Excursion; which may possibly be accounted for from theWarmthof the Air.The Breath not visible during the Excursion.That the Breath[37]wasnotvisible atanyone Time, and particularly whilethe Balloon was elevated above theunderCurrent, might it not be owing to the uncommondrynessof the Air, which wouddissipatethe Vapour at the Instant ofExposure?Encreased Shadows seem to raise the Objects.127. It was remarked, some little Timebefore, andduringthelastGlance of the Prospect taken at thehighestElevation, that the House at Aston was still visible, and thedark colouredLineforming itsdiminutiveShadow seemedthickerin Proportion to thePlan, than when the Mansion wasfirstseen before the Re-ascent. And it had asensibleEffect inapparently raisingit above thecommonLevel.Prospectsbelownoted.128. The Circuit of theLand-Abyss belowwas also greatlycontracted: and a Haziness inclining to adark Greenseemed to cover theoutwardVergeroundtheLawn.TheredRiver Wever only appeared.The Channel andbroadBranch ofthe River Mersey towards Warrington, had long since vanished.The Lawn itself, which composed the Ground-View, was full ofinnumerableEnclosuresalmostcloseto each other; withmuchWood:—dwindling to theDownView like the Pattern of a Turkey-Carpet.Pattern of an elegant Turkey-Carpet: which, according to Principles of Mahommedan Faith, tho’ wrought ingayandvividColours, ismadeto exhibitno exact[38]Resemblanceto the Works either of Art or Nature.The EarthglowingwithprimaryColours only.129. The Colours, of which the Ground Work wasprincipallyformed (exceptwhite; also theroughenedSea, whichalonewasblack; and Shadows, whichconstantlygave atransparentviolet) were four simple andprimaryones, viz.red,yellow,green, andblue: all which seemedtoglow, tho’ in alessDegree, like the Colours of the Prism.This unmixedColorationof Objects, to be seen from a vertical Situationonly, to be seen withoutRefraction, is a new singular andpleasingPhenomenon.Cromáticview of the Earth, an Appearance peculiar to the Balloon.130. A View, takenabovethe Level of the Clouds, may, from this Circumstance, without Impropriety, be called achromatic viewor the Earth: of which, thePrintis an Example: delineating the Extent of the aërial Excursion; and placed at the End of thesecondPart, including the Re-ascent.
CHAPTERXXIII.
Section 126.IT was a Matter both of Surprize and Pleasure to observe that the Thermometer had risenagainto 60, when the Balloon had soaredabovethe Sea-Breeze; as the Aironaut had expected to feel the extreme Rigour of Winter; and had made Preparations againstintenseCold.
Nor did he find any Difficulty in Respirationduringthe Excursion; which may possibly be accounted for from theWarmthof the Air.
The Breath not visible during the Excursion.
That the Breath[37]wasnotvisible atanyone Time, and particularly whilethe Balloon was elevated above theunderCurrent, might it not be owing to the uncommondrynessof the Air, which wouddissipatethe Vapour at the Instant ofExposure?
Encreased Shadows seem to raise the Objects.
127. It was remarked, some little Timebefore, andduringthelastGlance of the Prospect taken at thehighestElevation, that the House at Aston was still visible, and thedark colouredLineforming itsdiminutiveShadow seemedthickerin Proportion to thePlan, than when the Mansion wasfirstseen before the Re-ascent. And it had asensibleEffect inapparently raisingit above thecommonLevel.
Prospectsbelownoted.
128. The Circuit of theLand-Abyss belowwas also greatlycontracted: and a Haziness inclining to adark Greenseemed to cover theoutwardVergeroundtheLawn.
TheredRiver Wever only appeared.
The Channel andbroadBranch ofthe River Mersey towards Warrington, had long since vanished.
The Lawn itself, which composed the Ground-View, was full ofinnumerableEnclosuresalmostcloseto each other; withmuchWood:—dwindling to theDownView like the Pattern of a Turkey-Carpet.Pattern of an elegant Turkey-Carpet: which, according to Principles of Mahommedan Faith, tho’ wrought ingayandvividColours, ismadeto exhibitno exact[38]Resemblanceto the Works either of Art or Nature.
The EarthglowingwithprimaryColours only.
129. The Colours, of which the Ground Work wasprincipallyformed (exceptwhite; also theroughenedSea, whichalonewasblack; and Shadows, whichconstantlygave atransparentviolet) were four simple andprimaryones, viz.red,yellow,green, andblue: all which seemedtoglow, tho’ in alessDegree, like the Colours of the Prism.
This unmixedColorationof Objects, to be seen from a vertical Situationonly, to be seen withoutRefraction, is a new singular andpleasingPhenomenon.
Cromáticview of the Earth, an Appearance peculiar to the Balloon.
130. A View, takenabovethe Level of the Clouds, may, from this Circumstance, without Impropriety, be called achromatic viewor the Earth: of which, thePrintis an Example: delineating the Extent of the aërial Excursion; and placed at the End of thesecondPart, including the Re-ascent.