Artificial FLYING

Artificial FLYING, that attempted by men, by the assistance of mechanics.

The art of flying has been attempted by several persons in all ages. The Lencadians, out of superstition, are reported to have had a custom of precipitating a man from a high cliff into the sea, first fixing feathers, variously expanded, round his body, in order to break the fall.

Frater Bacon, who lived near 500 years ago, not only affirms the art of flying possible, but assures us, that he himself knew how to make an engine wherein a man sitting might be able to convey himself through the air like a bird; and further adds, that there was then one who had tried it with success. The secret consisted in a couple of large thin hollow copper-globes, exhausted of air; which being much lighter than air, would sustain a chair whereon a person might sit. Fa. Francisco Lana, in his Prodromus, proposes the same thing, as his own thought. He computes, that a round vessel of plate-brass, 14 feet in diameter, weighing

three ounces the square foot, will only weigh 1848 ounces; whereas a quantity of air of the same bulk will weigh 2155$\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$d ounces; so that the globe will not only be sustained in the air, but will carry with it a weight of 373$\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$d ounces; and by increasing the bulk of the globe, without increasing the thickness of the metal, he adds, a vessel might be made to carry a much greater weight.—But the fallacy is obvious: a globe of the dimensions he describes, Dr Hook shows, would not sustain the pressure of the air, but be crushed inwards. Besides, in whatever ratio the bulk of the globe were increased, in the same must the thickness of the metal, and consequently the weight be increased: so that there would be no advantage in such augmentation. See AEROSTATION.

The same author describes an engine for flying, invented by the Sieur-Besnier, a smith of Sable, in the county of Maine. Vid. Philosoph. Collect. N^o 1.

The philosophers of king Charles the second's reign were mightily busied about this art. The famous bishop Wilkins was so confident of success in it, that he says, he does not question but in future ages it will be as usual to hear a man call for his wings, when he is going a journey, as it is now to call for his boots.