y one aim--the application of
Montgolfier's discovery to aerial navigation. The knowledge
gained in the Faubourg St. Antoine having led to the most
favourable conclusions, it was resolved that a first aerial
voyage should be attempted.

"If," says Linguet, "there existed an autograph journal, written by
Columbus, descriptive of his first great voyage with what jealous care
it would be preserved, with what confidence it would be quoted! We
should delight to follow the candid account which he gave of his
thoughts, his hopes, his fears; of the complaints of his followers, of
his attempts to calm them, and, finally, of his joy in the moment
which, ratifying his word and justifying his boldness, declared him the
discoverer of a new world All these details have been transmitted to us,
but by stranger hands; and, however interesting they may be, one cannot
help feeling that this circumstance makes them lose part of their
value."

The narrative of the first aerial voyage, written by one of the two
first aeronauts, exists, and we are in a position to place it before our
readers. Such an enterprise certainly demanded great courage in him who
was the first to dare to confide himself to the unknown currents of the
atmosphere It threatened him with dangers, perhaps with death by a fill,
by fire, by cold, or by straying into the mysterious cloud-land. Two men
opposed the first attempt. Montgolfier temporised, the king forbade it,
or rather only gave his permission on the condition that two condemned
criminals should be placed in the balloon! "What!" cried Roziers, in
indignation at the king's proposal, "allow two vile criminals to have
the first glory of rising into the sky! No, no; that will never do!"
Roziers conjured, supplicated, agitated in a hundred ways for permission
to try the first voyage. He moved the town and the court; he addressed
himself to those who were most in favour at Versailles; he pleaded with
the Duchess de Polignac, who was all-powerful with the king. She
warmly supported his cause before Louis. Roziers dispatched the Marquis
d'Arlandes, who had been up with him, to the king. Arlandes asserted
that there was no danger, and, as proof of his conviction, he offered
himself to accompany Roziers. Solicited on all sides, Louis at last
yielded.

The gardens of La Muette, near Paris, were fixed upon as the spot from
which this aerial expedition should start. The Dauphin and his suite
were pres