The learned Dr. Robert Hooke, Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, in 1655, made many ineffectual trials to accomplish this object, which he communicated to the celebrated Bishop Wilkins, who considered his plans were very ingenious.
Lord Bacon was not above recommending experimental investigation of means for flying. And Bishop Wilkins suggests, that the most obvious way for effecting the desired purpose is “by wings fastened immediately to the body, this coming nearest to the imitation of nature;” and further, “this is that way which Fredericus Hermannus [Flayder], in his little discourse, De Arte volandi, doth only mention and insist upon.”
In 1679, Dr. Robert Hooke, while Secretary of the Royal Society, published “Lectiones Cutlerianæ, a collection of Lectures made before the Royal Society,” 4to. consisting of a series of pamphlets, among which, No. 1 of the “Philosophical Collections,” contains eleven articles, the fourth being, “An account of the Sieur Bernier’s way of Flying,” as follows:—
“Having lately seen an account from France of a person there, who, with some considerable success, has attempted to raise and sustain himself, and so to move and fly in the air by the help of mechanical or artificial wings, agitated only by his own strength, without the assistance of any other either animate or inanimate power; I thought it might not be unacceptable to the curious to receive some (though imperfect) account thereof.
“It is, I confess, no new design, since there has hardly been an age wherein some one or other of these Dædalian engineers have not been trying the strength of their invention about it. The story of Dædalus and Icarus might have its ground from the attempts of some persons about this matter, though poetic relations have made it seem romantic. What the performances of Simon Magus were is uncertain; they might have [been] somewhat mechanical. That attempt of one of our English kings is delivered to us for true history: whether so or no, I determine not. But without doubt, it was believed possible, and attempted also in the time of our famous Friar Roger Bacon, who lived about 500 years since. Now, though he was believed a magician or conjuror, and to have performed what was related of him by the help of diabolical magic, yet from the perusal of several of his excellent works yet extant, I esteem him no such person; but I rather find him to have been a good mathematician, a knowing mechanic, a rare chemist, and a most accomplished experimental philosopher, which was a miracle for that dark age. This man affirms the art of flying possible, and that he himself knew how to make an engine,[Q] in which a man sitting, might be able to carry himself through the air like a bird. And affirms that there was then another person who had actually tried it with good success. The stories of Architas his wooden dove, and Regiomontanus his wooden eagle, are not much doubted of. Questionless, those persons did make some kind of engines to perform what was considerable in this art of flying. Busbequius his story of the Turk at Constantinople, that attempted to fly, is not doubted. Nor are other relations of late attempts made in Germany, and elsewhere disbelieved. We have not wanted late instances, even here in England, of several ingenious men who have employed their wits and time about this design. Particularly, I have been credibly informed, that one Mr. Gascoyn did about 40 years since try it with good effect; though he since dying, the thing also died with him. And even now there are not wanting some in England who affirm themselves able to do it, and that they have proved as much by experiment.
“But of all these, we have little or no account of the ways they have taken to effect their designs, and therefore conjectures will be much at random; only we may conclude them defective in somewhat or other, since we do not find them brought into common use, which the desirableness and usefulness of any one that should succeed would certainly cause it to be. I shall desist therefore from inquiry further concerning them, and acquaint you with two ways lately published in print, and more particularly described, which pretended to some considerable performance of this kind.”
The first is inserted in the “Journal des Scavans” of the year 1678.
Then follow a letter on the subject, and an account of Lana’s flying chariot. The latter is like a boat with wheels and sails; the former was the invention of Sieur Besnier, a smith of Sable in the county of Maine. The engraving represents a nude figure with two poles held horizontally on each shoulder, about the centre, and having at each end flags or wings, in form of folio book backs, with the two back ends of the poles attached by strings to the feet; affording altogether a very feeble attempt to obtain the desired object.
The privilege of flight by any mechanical means is denied to man; his figure, weight, muscular constitution, all operate against his imitating the bird, which, admirably proportioned, light in frame, yet concentrating powerful muscular strength in its wings, well adapt it for enduring prolonged aerial flight, although the medium in which it floats is eight-hundred times lighter than water.
If flight in the air is ever to be mechanically attained, it will be by a machine, worked independently of man’s power, and which possibly will neither be so safe nor so manageable as the common balloon, with all its hazards and wayward guideless journeyings.