CHAPTERXXVI.SENSATIONS ACCOMPANYING THE BALLOON.Situation safe and pleasant.Section 141.THE alternate Elevation and Descent of the Balloon gave sufficient Leisure to reflect on thesecurityandpleasureof his Situation, thuswaftedon thePinions, andmergingin theOceanof Air.Indeed the whole Excursion was a Continued Scene of Pleasure.The Eye and the Imagination were beyond Measure delighted.142. If there had been any Thing to wish for, it was thelivingPencil ofAngelica,[39]or some other celebrated Painter: in order to gratify the World with thebright MiniaturesandColouringof so muchvariegatedBeauty.143. As it woud be difficult, if not impossible, bymereDescription, to convey an adequate Idea of the differentSensationsexperienced while in the Car; (for Pleasure is itself unspeakable;) yet the Fancy may possibly, without Censure, be a Momentindulged, in its Allusions to such familiar Subjects as approach nearest tothem: so as not to leave thepublicMindwhollyin the Dark, with Respect to the above Points of natural and general Curiosity.TheSwinga favourite Amusement.144. Most young People, whenever they have Opportunity, amuse themselves on theslack rope, or Swing: the Pleasureencreasesin Proportion to theLoftiness of Ascentthey areableto acquire.The Mogul enjoys the Air without Fatigue, by Means of theSwing.145. In the East, where the Heat of the Climate forbids robust Exercises; theSwingis considered as a princely Diversion: and of which theMogulhimselfcondescendsto partake. He is swung by Slaves: and thus enjoys thepureAirwithoutFatigue.The Balloon and Swing compared.146. The Ascent of the Balloon is not unlike what is felt, in theascendinghalf of the Swing: and the Descent is attended with that agreeable Sensation known to those whosinkthrou’ thedescendinghalf.A favourite Diversion among the Russians.147. A Diversion similar to the above is peculiar to theNorth of Europe, practised by the Russians, particularly the Inhabitants of Zarsko Zelo; and accompanied with a Sensationso delightful, that they seek itArtificial Declivity ofwavedIce.in theopenAir, amidst theutmost Severityof theFrost. It is a Sort of Boat orCar, in which theyglide, for a considerable Distance,downanartificialDeclivity ofwavedandpolishedIce: being drawn up by Servants; they launch precipitately forwards, anddownagain as before.Amusements of Gestation in common with the Balloon.148.Sledgesdrawnswiftlyover the undulated Surface of asnowyCountry, a favourite Diversion in many Parts of Germany, in Lapland, and Siberia: Skaiting onlevelIce; the Motion of a Vessel onsmoothWater; of afleetHorse; also of Wheel-Carriages rolling overevenGravel, or agrassyPlain, are each aLuxuryof the same Kind; andgratefulto the Nerves.Vertical Flying-Coach.149. There is yet another Amusement, which is said to be ofGermanExtraction, still frequent in the North of England, called theverticalFlying-Coach.[40]Two Persons are required to turn the Machine (when full): which moves like the four Sails of a Windmill: a Seat being placed at the End of each Sail.150. ThePleasurecommunicated to theNerves duringthe Descent, is to some Constitutions soexquisite, as to be full as much as the human Frame can support: others are affected by it in agentlerManner.These different Diversions, flowing from the same Principle in common with the Balloon, viz. that ofbeing carried with a gentle Motion, areone or othersuited to all Ranks and Ages.151. The Pleasure of the double Slack Ropes, when seated in the Car appended between them, is perhaps in itselfsuperiorto that of most others.152. Thevertical Flying-Coach[41]compleats theCircle, of which the Slack Rope describes but the lowerHalf.Balloon and Vertical Flying-Coach compared.153. The Sensations communicated by the Motion of the Balloon, come nearest those of the vertical flying Coach, tho’moregentle, and if possible,morepleasing.No Sickness or Giddiness in the Balloon.At Sea, the most experienced Mariner is sometimessickorgiddy.154. Nothing of the Kind happens in the Balloon: where an infinite Variety charms the Imagination.The Spirits raised.155. The Spirits are raised by thePurityof the Air[43], andrestin achearfulComposure.The Greatest Height conveys no Fear of falling.156. Even whenstationaryabove the Clouds, theHeightconveys with it noDangeroffalling: any more thanwhenin a Vessel at Sea, (as off the West-India Islands, for Example) theFishare seen gliding over the clearwhite rockyBottom, at the Depth of twenty Fathom: as the Aironaut seems perfectly unconnected with the Earth, and unconcerned about it.The Depth below the Clouds gives no Idea of Distance.157. Nor does the Depthbelow the Cloudsgive an Idea ofDistance. On the contrary, thesmooth chequered Lawnswhich form the Surface of the Earth, are presented to the Eye, as on aLevelwith theCloudsthemselves:at leastcome upto theirundersides, and appear so much a Part ofthem; that theCloudsoccupy the Place ofEarth: and the Aironaut seems able to descend from theCarupon theClouds, and to walk from Side to Side over theemptySpace, as over a Sheet oftransparentIce, across aRiver, whose Depth is equal to thesmallbut indefinite Thickness of the Clouds.158. It is fromfrequentexperienceonly that theDiminution of Objectspresuppose theirDistance.
CHAPTERXXVI.
Situation safe and pleasant.
Section 141.THE alternate Elevation and Descent of the Balloon gave sufficient Leisure to reflect on thesecurityandpleasureof his Situation, thuswaftedon thePinions, andmergingin theOceanof Air.
Indeed the whole Excursion was a Continued Scene of Pleasure.
The Eye and the Imagination were beyond Measure delighted.
142. If there had been any Thing to wish for, it was thelivingPencil ofAngelica,[39]or some other celebrated Painter: in order to gratify the World with thebright MiniaturesandColouringof so muchvariegatedBeauty.
143. As it woud be difficult, if not impossible, bymereDescription, to convey an adequate Idea of the differentSensationsexperienced while in the Car; (for Pleasure is itself unspeakable;) yet the Fancy may possibly, without Censure, be a Momentindulged, in its Allusions to such familiar Subjects as approach nearest tothem: so as not to leave thepublicMindwhollyin the Dark, with Respect to the above Points of natural and general Curiosity.
TheSwinga favourite Amusement.
144. Most young People, whenever they have Opportunity, amuse themselves on theslack rope, or Swing: the Pleasureencreasesin Proportion to theLoftiness of Ascentthey areableto acquire.
The Mogul enjoys the Air without Fatigue, by Means of theSwing.
145. In the East, where the Heat of the Climate forbids robust Exercises; theSwingis considered as a princely Diversion: and of which theMogulhimselfcondescendsto partake. He is swung by Slaves: and thus enjoys thepureAirwithoutFatigue.
The Balloon and Swing compared.
146. The Ascent of the Balloon is not unlike what is felt, in theascendinghalf of the Swing: and the Descent is attended with that agreeable Sensation known to those whosinkthrou’ thedescendinghalf.
A favourite Diversion among the Russians.
147. A Diversion similar to the above is peculiar to theNorth of Europe, practised by the Russians, particularly the Inhabitants of Zarsko Zelo; and accompanied with a Sensationso delightful, that they seek itArtificial Declivity ofwavedIce.in theopenAir, amidst theutmost Severityof theFrost. It is a Sort of Boat orCar, in which theyglide, for a considerable Distance,downanartificialDeclivity ofwavedandpolishedIce: being drawn up by Servants; they launch precipitately forwards, anddownagain as before.
Amusements of Gestation in common with the Balloon.
148.Sledgesdrawnswiftlyover the undulated Surface of asnowyCountry, a favourite Diversion in many Parts of Germany, in Lapland, and Siberia: Skaiting onlevelIce; the Motion of a Vessel onsmoothWater; of afleetHorse; also of Wheel-Carriages rolling overevenGravel, or agrassyPlain, are each aLuxuryof the same Kind; andgratefulto the Nerves.
Vertical Flying-Coach.
149. There is yet another Amusement, which is said to be ofGermanExtraction, still frequent in the North of England, called theverticalFlying-Coach.[40]
Two Persons are required to turn the Machine (when full): which moves like the four Sails of a Windmill: a Seat being placed at the End of each Sail.
150. ThePleasurecommunicated to theNerves duringthe Descent, is to some Constitutions soexquisite, as to be full as much as the human Frame can support: others are affected by it in agentlerManner.
These different Diversions, flowing from the same Principle in common with the Balloon, viz. that ofbeing carried with a gentle Motion, areone or othersuited to all Ranks and Ages.
151. The Pleasure of the double Slack Ropes, when seated in the Car appended between them, is perhaps in itselfsuperiorto that of most others.
152. Thevertical Flying-Coach[41]compleats theCircle, of which the Slack Rope describes but the lowerHalf.
Balloon and Vertical Flying-Coach compared.
153. The Sensations communicated by the Motion of the Balloon, come nearest those of the vertical flying Coach, tho’moregentle, and if possible,morepleasing.
No Sickness or Giddiness in the Balloon.
At Sea, the most experienced Mariner is sometimessickorgiddy.
154. Nothing of the Kind happens in the Balloon: where an infinite Variety charms the Imagination.
The Spirits raised.
155. The Spirits are raised by thePurityof the Air[43], andrestin achearfulComposure.
The Greatest Height conveys no Fear of falling.
156. Even whenstationaryabove the Clouds, theHeightconveys with it noDangeroffalling: any more thanwhenin a Vessel at Sea, (as off the West-India Islands, for Example) theFishare seen gliding over the clearwhite rockyBottom, at the Depth of twenty Fathom: as the Aironaut seems perfectly unconnected with the Earth, and unconcerned about it.
The Depth below the Clouds gives no Idea of Distance.
157. Nor does the Depthbelow the Cloudsgive an Idea ofDistance. On the contrary, thesmooth chequered Lawnswhich form the Surface of the Earth, are presented to the Eye, as on aLevelwith theCloudsthemselves:at leastcome upto theirundersides, and appear so much a Part ofthem; that theCloudsoccupy the Place ofEarth: and the Aironaut seems able to descend from theCarupon theClouds, and to walk from Side to Side over theemptySpace, as over a Sheet oftransparentIce, across aRiver, whose Depth is equal to thesmallbut indefinite Thickness of the Clouds.
158. It is fromfrequentexperienceonly that theDiminution of Objectspresuppose theirDistance.