CHAPTERXXX.Section 169.THE Summer Scenes of Fairy-Land below, being soon eclipsed by thequickIntervention of aRangeof Clouds; thesuddenContrast of which was highly pleasing to the Imagination; a Prospect ofmid winterinstantaneously succeeded.The Center filled up in an Instant.170. The Earth’sSurfacethrou’ an immeasurable Crater of Vapour accumulated round the Aironaut, who was suspended, and seemed fixed in the Center above it,no longer existed. And, if it will not be allowed, that anewEarth, and anewskyappeared;at least, let the Imagery and Resemblance of what was really seen, be taken from thatearth, which in Fact didnotappear.AworldofClouds,greaterthan theonebelow, became, for the first Time thesoleObject that engrossed the Sight. (SeeSection 144.)View of the Clouds taken fromabove them.171. The Balloon wasapparentlyraised some Miles above theSurfaceof aconcave shallowPlate, or Shell, or rather an immense Plain,whichwas in general smooth and well defined: but thedensetonìtruous Masses, rising here and thereabovethe Rest, greatly resembled steep andrugged mountainsseen in Perspective, at different Distances from 5 and 10 to at least a hundred Miles.[45]An unvaried deep cerùlean and pellucid Azure, without a Cloud above, enclosed thenovel earth: whose Surface, whether Valley, Plain, ormountainin Appearance; seemed as if covered to a prodigious Depth, by successive Falls of Snow, driven and polished by the Winds and Frost, and dazzling to the Sight: the Sun still shining above all, withwhite, unremitting and invigorating Rays.[47]
CHAPTERXXX.
Section 169.THE Summer Scenes of Fairy-Land below, being soon eclipsed by thequickIntervention of aRangeof Clouds; thesuddenContrast of which was highly pleasing to the Imagination; a Prospect ofmid winterinstantaneously succeeded.
The Center filled up in an Instant.
170. The Earth’sSurfacethrou’ an immeasurable Crater of Vapour accumulated round the Aironaut, who was suspended, and seemed fixed in the Center above it,no longer existed. And, if it will not be allowed, that anewEarth, and anewskyappeared;at least, let the Imagery and Resemblance of what was really seen, be taken from thatearth, which in Fact didnotappear.
AworldofClouds,greaterthan theonebelow, became, for the first Time thesoleObject that engrossed the Sight. (SeeSection 144.)
View of the Clouds taken fromabove them.
171. The Balloon wasapparentlyraised some Miles above theSurfaceof aconcave shallowPlate, or Shell, or rather an immense Plain,whichwas in general smooth and well defined: but thedensetonìtruous Masses, rising here and thereabovethe Rest, greatly resembled steep andrugged mountainsseen in Perspective, at different Distances from 5 and 10 to at least a hundred Miles.[45]
An unvaried deep cerùlean and pellucid Azure, without a Cloud above, enclosed thenovel earth: whose Surface, whether Valley, Plain, ormountainin Appearance; seemed as if covered to a prodigious Depth, by successive Falls of Snow, driven and polished by the Winds and Frost, and dazzling to the Sight: the Sun still shining above all, withwhite, unremitting and invigorating Rays.[47]