a region where the man will float in the air without any tendency to fall: no care will then be neceffary, but to move forwards, which the gentleft impulse will effect. You, Sir, whofe curiofity is fo extenfive, will eafily conceive with what pleasure a philofopher, furnished with wings, and hovering in the sky, would fee the earth, and all it's inhabitants, rolling beneath him, and prefenting to him fucceffively, by it's diurnal motion, all the countries within the fame parallel. How muft it amufe the pendent fpectator to see the moving scene of land and ocean, cities and defarts! To furvey with equal fecurity the marts of trade, and the fields of battle; mountains infefted by barbarians, and fruitful regions gladdened by plenty, and lulled by peace! How easily shall we then trace the the Nile through all his paffage; pafs over to diftant regions, and examine the face of nature from one extremity of the earth to the other!" "All this, faid the prince, is much to be defired, but I am afraid that no man will be able to breathe in these regions of fpeculation and tranquility. I have been told, that respiration is difficult upon lofty mountains, yet from these precipices, though so high as to produce great tenuity of the air, it is very eafy to fall: therefore I fufpect, that from any height, where life can be fupported, there may be danger of too quick defcent." Nothing, replied the artist, will ever be attempted, if all poffible objections must be first overcome. If you will fa vour my project I will try the first flight at my own hazard. I have confidered the ftructure of all volant animals, and find the folding continuity of the bat's wings most easily accomodated to the human form. Upon this model I fhall begin my task to morrow, and in a year expect to tower into the air beyond the malice or perfuit of man. But I will work only on this condition, that the art shall not be divulged, and that you fhall not require me to make wings for any but ourselves." 66 Why, faid Raffelas, fhould you envy others fo great an advantage? All fkill ought to be exerted for univerfal good; every man has owed much to others, and ought to repay the kindness that he has received." • If "If men were all virtuous, returned the artist, fhould with great alacrity teach them all to fly. But what would be the fecurity of the good, if the bad could at pleasure invade them from the fky? Against an army failing through the clouds neither walls, nor mountains, nor feas, could afford any fecurity. A flight of northern favages might hover in the wind, and light at once with irre fiftible violence upon the capital of a fruitful region that was rolling under them. Even this valley, the retreat of princes, the abode of happiness, might be violated by the sudden descent of some of the naked nations that swarm on the coaft of the fouthern fea." The prince promised fecrecy, and waited for the performance, not wholly hope lefs lefs of fuccefs. He vifited the work from time to time, observed its progrefs, and remarked many ingenious contrivances to facilitate motion, and unite levity with ftrength. The artist was every day more certain that he fhould leave vultures and eagles behind him, and the contagion of his confidence feized upon the prince. In a year the wings were finished, and, on a morning appointed, the maker appeared furnished for flight on a little promontory: he waved his pinions a while to gather air, then leaped from his ftand, and in an inftant dropped into the lake. His wings, which were of no ufe in the air, fuftained him in the water, and the prince drew him to land, half dead with terrour and vexation. CHAP. |