FRANCIS, was born at Metz on the 30th of March 1756. He was first apprentice to an apothecary there, and afterwards went to Paris in quest of further improvement. He applied himself to the study of natural history and physics, and had already acquired some reputation, when the discovery of Montgolfier astonished the learned world. On the 25th of October 1783, he attempted an aerial voyage, accompanied by the Marquis of Arlande. He performed several other excursions in this way with brilliant success, in the presence of the royal family of France, of the king of Sweden, and of Prince Henry of Prussia. He then resolved to pass into England by means of his aerial vehicle, and for that purpose he repaired to

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1 Josephus, Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. c. 5. Boulogne, whence he rose about seven o'clock in the morning on the 15th of June 1785; but in half an hour after he set out, the balloon took fire, and the aeronaut, with his companion M. Romaine, were crushed to death by the fall of the machine. See AERONAUTICS.