Finding, therefore, that to no purpose I have deferred, for a long time, its execution, which I deeply regret; and the prospect of the future being not more favourable, I am induced to publish my plan, in the hope that the lovers of the arts and sciences, when I have laid before them a scheme so practicable, will readily be induced, for the honour of science and our country, to contribute to the means of bringing it into practice; and demonstrate to their fellow mortals, how they may gain a perfect dominion over another element.

In almost every nation where arts and sciences have flourished, persons have manifested a wish to discover the art of flying. In Rome and in Paris particularly, different persons, and in ages remote from each other, have tried experiments with wings formed of various materials, which have been fastened to their arms; but none of them succeeded, there not being strength sufficient in a man's arms to enable him to fly with detached wings fastened

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to him, leaving the whole weight of his body unsupported.

Friar Bacon, who lived nearly five centuries ago, wrote upon the subject, and he affirms that the art of flying is possible; and many others have been of opinion, that by means of artificial wings affixed to the arms or legs, a man might fly as well as a bird.

The philosophers of the reign of King Charles the Second, were much engaged with this art. The famous Bishop Wilkin, who, in 1672, published a treatise upon flying, was so confident of its practicability, that he says, he does not question but that in future ages it will become as common to hear a man call for his wings, when going a journey, as it is now to call for his boots and spurs.

In the year 1709, as we gather from a letter published in France in 1784, a Portuguese, Friar de Gusman, applied to the king to en

courage him in the invention of a flying machine. The principle upon which it was constructed, if indeed it had any principle, seems to have been that of a paper kite; the machine was in the form of a bird, and contained several tubes through which the wind was to pass in order to fill a certain sail, which was to elevate it; and when the wind was deficient, the same was to be effected by means of bellows concealed within the body of the machine. The ascent was also to be promoted by the electric attraction of pieces of amber placed in the top, and by two spheres inclosing magnets in the same situation.

These silly inventions shew the very low state of science at that time in Portugal, espe cially as the king, in order to encourage him in his further experiments in such an useful invention, granted him the first vacant place in his college of Barcelos, or Santerim, with the first professorship in the university of Coimbra, and an annual pension of 600,000 reis, during his life. Of this De Gusman, it is also re

lated, that, in the year 1736, he made a wicker basket of about seven or eight feet diameter, and covered it with paper, which raised itself about 200 feet in the air, and the effect was generally attributed to witchcraft.

Mr. Willoughby, after observing that the pectoral muscles of a man, in proportion to his weight, are many degrees too weak for flying, recommends to him who would attempt the art with the desire of success, to contrive and adapt his wings in such a manner, that he may work them with his legs and not with his arms, because the muscles of the legs are much stronger.

The celebrated Lord Bacon wrote on the subject of flying, and believed it practicable, but it seems that he could no more direct how it was to be done than any other who had written before him on the same subject.

Thus much, for the satisfaction of my readers, I have thought proper to make mention of

what has been attempted in the accomplishment of this wonderful art; but were I to adduce all that has been said and done, at different periods of time, I could compile a large volume of that alone, which would answer no other end than that of curiosity, and to shew that no one has ever understood the natural means of flying, which is the only knowledge that can guide us to the completion of artificial flying, and which I hope and trust will be clearly demonstrated in this treatise.

As I shall have occasion to refer to various birds, possessing different powers of flight, in illustration of my design; I here introduce the history of the condor, for the information of such of my readers as may not be acquainted with it.

The condor is a native of America, and hitherto naturalists have been divided whether to refer it to the species of the eagle, or to that of the vulture. Its great strength, and activity, seem to give it a claim to rank