〃One　day；　having　given　my　creditors　the　slip；　and　feeling　more　than
  usually　dejected；　I　continued　for　a　long　time　to　wander　about　the
  most　obscure　streets　without　object　whatever；　until　at　length　I
  chanced　to　stumble　against　the　corner　of　a　bookseller's　stall。　Seeing
  a　chair　close　at　hand；　for　the　use　of　customers；　I　threw　myself
  doggedly　into　it；　and；　hardly　knowing　why；　opened　the　pages　of　the
  first　volume　which　came　within　my　reach。　It　proved　to　be　a　small
  pamphlet　treatise　on　Speculative　Astronomy；　written　either　by
  Professor　Encke　of　Berlin　or　by　a　Frenchman　of　somewhat　similar　name。
  I　had　some　little　tincture　of　information　on　matters　of　this　nature；
  and　soon　became　more　and　more　absorbed　in　the　contents　of　the　book；
  reading　it　actually　through　twice　before　I　awoke　to　a　recollection　of
  what　was　passing　around　me。　By　this　time　it　began　to　grow　dark；　and　I
  directed　my　steps　toward　home。　But　the　treatise　had　made　an　indelible
  impression　on　my　mind；　and；　as　I　sauntered　along　the　dusky　streets；　I
  revolved　carefully　over　in　my　memory　the　wild　and　sometimes
  unintelligible　reasonings　of　the　writer。　There　are　some　particular
  passages　which　affected　my　imagination　in　a　powerful　and
  extraordinary　manner。　The　longer　I　meditated　upon　these　the　more
  intense　grew　the　interest　which　had　been　excited　within　me。　The
  limited　nature　of　my　education　in　general；　and　more　especially　my
  ignorance　on　subjects　connected　with　natural　philosophy；　so　far　from
  rendering　me　diffident　of　my　own　ability　to　comprehend　what　I　had
  read；　or　inducing　me　to　mistrust　the　many　vague　notions　which　had
  arisen　in　consequence；　merely　served　as　a　farther　stimulus　to
  imagination；　and　I　was　vain　enough；　or　perhaps　reasonable　enough；　to
  doubt　whether　those　crude　ideas　which；　arising　in　ill…regulated
  minds；　have　all　the　appearance；　may　not　often　in　effect　possess　all
  the　force；　the　reality；　and　other　inherent　properties；　of　instinct　or
  intuition；　whether；　to　proceed　a　step　farther；　profundity　itself
  might　not；　in　matters　of　a　purely　speculative　nature；　be　detected　as
  a　legitimate　source　of　falsity　and　error。　In　other　words；　I　believed；
  and　still　do　believe；　that　truth；　is　frequently　of　its　own　essence；
  superficial；　and　that；　in　many　cases；　the　depth　lies　more　in　the
  abysses　where　we　seek　her；　than　in　the　actual　situations　wherein　she
  may　be　found。　Nature　herself　seemed　to　afford　me　corroboration　of
  these　ideas。　In　the　contemplation　of　the　heavenly　bodies　it　struck　me
  forcibly　that　I　could　not　distinguish　a　star　with　nearly　as　much
  precision；　when　I　gazed　on　it　with　earnest；　direct　and　undeviating
  attention；　as　when　I　suffered　my　eye　only　to　glance　in　its　vicinity
  alone。　I　was　not；　of　course；　at　that　time　aware　that　this　apparent
  paradox　was　occasioned　by　the　center　of　the　visual　area　being　less
  susceptible　of　feeble　impressions　of　light　than　the　exterior　portions
  of　the　retina。　This　knowledge；　and　some　of　another　kind；　came
  afterwards　in　the　course　of　an　eventful　five　years；　during　which　I
  have　dropped　the　prejudices　of　my　former　humble　situation　in　life；
  and　forgotten　the　bellows…mender　in　far　different　occupations。　But　at
  the　epoch　of　which　I　speak；　the　analogy　which　a　casual　observation　of
  a　star　offered　to　the　conclusions　I　had　already　drawn；　struck　me　with
  the　force　of　positive　conformation；　and　I　then　finally　made　up　my
  mind　to　the　course　which　I　afterwards　pursued。
  〃It　was　late　when　I　reached　home；　and　I　went　immediately　to　bed。　My
  mind；　however；　was　too　much　occupied　to　sleep；　and　I　lay　the　whole
  night　buried　in　meditation。　Arising　early　in　the　morning；　and
  contriving　again　to　escape　the　vigilance　of　my　creditors；　I　repaired
  eagerly　to　the　bookseller's　stall；　and　laid　out　what　little　ready
  money　I　possessed；　in　the　purchase　of　some　volumes　of　Mechanics　and
  Practical　Astronomy。　Having　arrived　at　home　safely　with　these；　I
  devoted　every　spare　moment　to　their　perusal；　and　soon　made　such
  proficiency　in　studies　of　this　nature　as　I　thought　sufficient　for　the
  execution　of　my　plan。　In　the　intervals　of　this　period；　I　made　every
  endeavor　to　conciliate　the　three　creditors　who　had　given　me　so　much
  annoyance。　In　this　I　finally　succeeded　　partly　by　selling　enough　of
  my　household　furniture　to　satisfy　a　moiety　of　their　claim；　and　partly
  by　a　promise　of　paying　the　balance　upon　completion　of　a　little
  project　which　I　told　them　I　had　in　view；　and　for　assistance　in　which
  I　solicited　their　services。　By　these　means　　for　they　were　ignorant
  men　　I　found　little　difficulty　in　gaining　them　over　to　my　purpose。
  〃Matters　being　thus　arranged；　I　contrived；　by　the　aid　of　my　wife　and
  with　the　greatest　secrecy　and　caution；　to　dispose　of　what　property　I
  had　remaining；　and　to　borrow；　in　small　sums；　under　various　pretences；
  and　without　paying　any　attention　to　my　future　means　of　repayment；　no
  inconsiderable　quantity　of　ready　money。　With　the　means　thus　accruing
  I　proceeded　to　procure　at　intervals；　cambric　muslin；　very　fine；　in
  pieces　of　twelve　yards　each；　twine；　a　lot　of　the　varnish　of
  caoutchouc；　a　large　and　deep　basket　of　wicker…work；　made　to　order；
  and　several　other　articles　necessary　in　the　construction　and
  equipment　of　a　balloon　of　extraordinary　dimensions。　This　I　directed
  my　wife　to　make　up　as　soon　as　possible；　and　gave　her　all　requisite
  information　as　to　the　particular　method　of　proceeding。　In　the
  meantime　I　worked　up　the　twine　into　a　net…work　of　sufficient
  dimensions；　rigged　it　with　a　hoop　and　the　necessary　cords；　bought　a
  quadrant；　a　compass；　a　spy…glass；　a　common　barometer　with　some
  important　modifications；　and　two　astronomical　instruments　not　so
  generally　known。　I　then　took　opportunities　of　conveying　by　night；　to
  a　retired　situation　east　of　Rotterdam；　five　iron…bound　casks；　to
  contain　about　fifty　gallons　each；　and　one　of　a　larger　size；　six
  tinned　ware　tubes；　three　inches　in　diameter；　properly　shaped；　and　ten
  feet　in　length；　a　quantity　of　a　particular　metallic　substance；　or
  semi…metal；　which　I　shall　not　name；　and　a　dozen　demijohns　of　a　very
  common　acid。　The　gas　to　be　formed　from　these　latter　materials　is　a
  gas　never　yet　generated　by　any　other　person　than　myself　　or　at
  least　never　applied　to　any　similar　purpose。　The　secret　I　would　make
  no　difficulty　in　disclosing；　but　that　it　of　right　belongs　to　a
  citizen　of　Nantz；　in　France；　by　whom　it　was　conditionally
  communicated　to　myself。　The　same　individual　submitted　to　me；　without
  being　at　all　aware　of　my　intentions；　a　method　of　constructing
  balloons　from　the　membrane　of　a　certain　animal；　through　which
  substance　any　escape　of　gas　was　nearly　an　impossibility。　I　found　it；
  however；　altogether　too　expensive；　and　was　not　sure；　upon　the　whole；
  whether　cambric　muslin　with　a　coating　of　gum　caoutchouc；　was　not
  equally　as　good。　I　mention　this　circumstance；　because　I　think　it
  probable　that　hereafter　the　individual　in　question　may　attempt　a
  balloon　ascension　with　the　novel　gas　and　material　I　have　spoken　of；
  and　I　do　not　wish　to　deprive　him　of　the　honor　of　a　very　singular
  invention。
  〃On　the　spot　which　I　intended　each　of　the　smaller　casks　to　occupy
  respectively　during　the　inflation　of　the　balloon；　I　privately　dug　a
  hole　two　feet　deep；　the　holes　forming　in　this　manner　a　circle
  twenty…five　feet　in　diameter。　In　the　centre　of　this　circle；　being　the
  station　designed　for　the　large　cask；　I　also　dug　a　hole　three　feet　in
  depth。　In　each　of　the　five　smaller　holes；　I　deposited　a　canister
  containing　fifty　pounds；　and　in　the　larger　one　a　keg　holding　one
  hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　of　cannon　powder。　These　　the　keg　and
  canisters　　I　connected　in　a　proper　manner　with　covered　trains；　and
  having　let　into　one　of　the　canisters　the　end　of　about　four　feet　of
  slow　match；　I　covered　up　the　hole；　and　placed　the　cask　over　it；
  leaving　the　other　end　of　the　match　protruding　about　an　inch；　and
  barely　visible　beyond　the　cask。　I　then　filled　up　the　remaining　holes；
  and　placed　the　barrels　over　them　in　their　destined　situation。
  〃Besides　the　articles　above　enumerated；　I　conveyed　to　the　depot；　and
  there　secreted；　one　of　M。　Grimm's　improvements　upon　the　apparatus　for
  condensation　of　the　atmospheric　air。　I　found　this　machine；　however；
  to　require　considerable　alteration　before　it　could　be　adapted　to　the
  purposes　to　which　I　intended　making　it　applicable。　But；　with　severe
  labor　and　unremitting　perseverance；　I　at　length　met　with　entire
  success　in　all　my　preparations。　My　balloon　was　soon　completed。　It
  would　contain　more　than　forty　thousand　cubic　feet　of　gas；　would　take
  me　up　easily；　I　calculated；　with　all　my　implements；　and；　if　I　managed
  rightly；　with　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　pounds　of　ballast　into　the
  bargain。　It　had　received　three　coats　of　varnish；　and　I　found　the
  cambric　muslin　to　answer　all　the　purposes　of　silk　itself；　quite　as
  strong　and　a　good　deal　less　expensive。
  〃Everything　being　now　ready；　I　exacted　from　my　wife　an　oath　of
  secrecy　in　relation　to　all　my　actions　from　the　day　of　my　first　visit
  to　the　bookseller's　stall；　and　promising；　on　my　part；　to　return　as
  soon　as　circumstances　would　permit；　I　gave　her　what　little　money　I
  had　left；　and　ba