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Chapter Two. The First Balloons.
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The germ of the invention of the balloon lies in the discovery of Mr Cavendish, made in 1766, that hydrogen gas, called inflammable air, is at least seven times lighter1 than atmospheric2 air. Founding on this fact, Dr Black of Edinburgh proved by experiment that a very thin bag, filled with this gas, would rise to the ceiling of a room.
In Dr Thomson’s History of Chemistry, an anecdote3, related by Mr Benjamin Bell, refers to this as follows:—
“Soon after the appearance of Mr Cavendish’s paper on hydrogen gas, in which he made an approximation to the specific gravity of that body, showing that it was at least ten times lighter than common air, Dr Black invited a party of friends to supper, informing them that he had a curiosity to show them. Dr Hutton, Mr Clerk of Eldin, and Sir George Clerk of Penicuik, were of the number. When the company invited had arrived, he took them into a room where he had the allantois of a calf4 filled with hydrogen gas, and, upon setting it at liberty, it immediately ascended5 and adhered to the ceiling. The phenomenon was easily accounted for; it was taken for granted that a small black thread had been attached to the allantois, that the thread passed through the ceiling, and that some one in the apartment above, by pulling the thread, elevated it to the ceiling, and kept it in its position! This explanation was so plausible7, that it was agreed to by the whole company, though, like many other plausible theories, it turned out wholly fallacious, for, when the allantois was brought down, no thread whatever was found attached to it. Dr Black explained the cause of the ascent8 to his admiring friends; but such was his carelessness of his own reputation, that he never gave the least account of this curious experiment even to his class, and several years elapsed before this obvious property of hydrogen gas was applied
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1
lighter
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n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级 | |
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2
atmospheric
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adj.大气的,空气的;大气层的;大气所引起的 | |
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3
anecdote
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n.轶事,趣闻,短故事 | |
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4
calf
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n.小牛,犊,幼仔,小牛皮 | |
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5
ascended
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v.上升,攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
ascend
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vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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7
plausible
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adj.似真实的,似乎有理的,似乎可信的 | |
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8
ascent
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n.(声望或地位)提高;上升,升高;登高 | |
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9
applied
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adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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10
elevation
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n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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11
rivulet
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n.小溪,小河 | |
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12
remarkable
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adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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13
provincial
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adj.省的,地方的;n.外省人,乡下人 | |
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possessed
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adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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ingenuity
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n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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speculation
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n.思索,沉思;猜测;投机 | |
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dependants
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受赡养者,受扶养的家属( dependant的名词复数 ) | |
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devoted
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adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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contemplated
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adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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20
philosophical
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adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的 | |
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promptly
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adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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embryo
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n.胚胎,萌芽的事物 | |
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descended
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a.为...后裔的,出身于...的 | |
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descend
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vt./vi.传下来,下来,下降 | |
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varnishing
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在(某物)上涂清漆( varnish的现在分词 ) | |
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combustion
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n.燃烧;氧化;骚动 | |
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repelled
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v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 );使厌恶;排斥;推开 | |
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procured
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v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 );拉皮条 | |
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indefatigable
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adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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linen
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n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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circumference
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n.圆周,周长,圆周线 | |
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publicity
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n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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spherical
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adj.球形的;球面的 | |
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kindled
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(使某物)燃烧,着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 ); 激起(感情等); 发亮,放光 | |
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swelled
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增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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graceful
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adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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distended
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v.(使)膨胀,肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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velocity
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n.速度,速率 | |
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admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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memorable
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adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的 | |
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feat
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n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的 | |
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exalted
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adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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subscription
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n.预订,预订费,亲笔签名,调配法,下标(处方) | |
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motive
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n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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diluted
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无力的,冲淡的 | |
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varnished
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浸渍过的,涂漆的 | |
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elastic
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n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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cannon
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n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
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lining
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n.衬里,衬料 | |
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incessant
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adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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53
frail
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adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 | |
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54
naturalist
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n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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