Excerpt

Excerpt from The Dominion of the Air: The Story of Aerial Navigation, by John M. Bacon

So wrote Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, who was reckoned a man of genius
and learning in the days of the Commonwealth. But so soon as we come to
inquire into the matter we find that this good Bishop was borrowing from
the ideas of others who had gone before him; and, look back as far as
we will, mankind is discovered to have entertained persistent and often
plausible ideas of human flight. And those ideas had in some sort of
way, for good or ill, taken practical shape. Thus, as long ago as the
days when Xenophon was leading back his warriors to the shores of
the Black Sea, and ere the Gauls had first burned Rome, there was a
philosopher, Archytas, who invented a pigeon which could fly, partly by
means of mechanism, and partly also, it is said, by aid of an aura or
spirit. And here arises a question. Was this aura a gas, or did men use
it as spiritualists do today, as merely a word to conjure with?

Four centuries later, in the days of Nero, there was a man in Rome who
flew so well and high as to lose his life thereby. Here, at any rate,
was an honest man, or the story would not have ended thus; but of the
rest--and there are many who in early ages aspired to the attainment
of flight--we have no more reason to credit their claims than those of
charlatans who flourish in every age.

In medieval times we are seriously told by a saintly writer (St.
Remigius) of folks who created clouds which rose to heaven by means of
"an earthen pot in which a little imp had been enclosed." We need no
more. That was an age of flying saints, as also of flying dragons.
Flying in those days of yore may have been real enough to the multitude,
but it was at best delusion. In the good old times it did not need the
genius of a Maskelyne to do a "levitation" trick. We can picture the
scene at a "flying seance." On the one side the decidedly professional
showman possessed of sufficient low cunning; on the other the ignorant
and highly superstitious audience, eager to hear or see some new
thing--the same audience that, deceived by a simple trick of schoolboy
science, would listen to supernatural voices in their groves, or
oracular utterances in their temples, or watch the urns of Bacchus fill
themselves with wine. Surely for their eyes it would need no more than
the simplest phantasmagoria, or maybe only a little black thread, to
make a pigeon rise and fly.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Dominion of the Air: The Story of Aerial Navigation by John M. Bacon

Context of the Source

John M. Bacon’s The Dominion of the Air (1902) is a historical account of humanity’s fascination with flight, tracing early myths, experiments, and scientific attempts at aerial navigation. The book was written at a time when aviation was transitioning from fantasy to reality (the Wright brothers’ first flight was just a year later, in 1903). Bacon’s work blends historical research with skeptical inquiry, examining how the dream of flight evolved from ancient legends to modern engineering.

This excerpt focuses on pre-scientific attempts at flight, blending historical accounts with a critical, often satirical, perspective on human credulity. Bacon questions the validity of many early claims, framing them as a mix of ingenious experimentation, superstition, and outright fraud.

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Themes in the Excerpt

1. The Persistence of Human Ambition

   • Bacon emphasizes that the desire to fly is ancient and universal, spanning cultures and millennia. From Archytas’ mechanical pigeon to medieval "flying saints," humans have repeatedly attempted to conquer the air, often with plausible but flawed methods.
   • The theme of human ingenuity vs. human folly runs through the passage—some inventors were sincere (like the unnamed Roman who died attempting flight), while others were charlatans exploiting superstition.

2. The Blurring of Science and Superstition

   • The excerpt highlights how early "aerial" experiments were often entangled with mysticism, religion, and pseudoscience.
     • Archytas’ "aura" could be interpreted as an early (if vague) concept of gas or propulsion, but it might also have been supernatural nonsense.
     • Medieval claims (like St. Remigius’ "earthen pot with an imp") reflect an era where magic and science were indistinguishable to most people.
   • Bacon’s tone suggests that progress in flight required shedding superstition—a transition from alchemy to chemistry, from miracles to mechanics.

3. Skepticism and the Problem of Historical Evidence

   • Bacon adopts a skeptical, almost debunking, stance, questioning the legitimacy of many ancient and medieval flight claims.
   • He distinguishes between:
     • Genuine (if failed) experiments (e.g., the Roman who died flying).
     • Outright frauds (e.g., "flying seances" with hidden wires).
     • Superstitious delusions (e.g., saints and dragons flying).
   • His approach mirrors 19th-century scientific rationalism, which sought to separate fact from myth in historical records.

4. The Role of Deception and Spectacle

   • The passage critiques how easily people were (and are) deceived by simple tricks.
   • Bacon describes medieval "flying seances" as theatrical illusions, comparing them to 19th-century stage magic (e.g., Maskelyne, a famous illusionist).
   • The imagery of "black thread" making a pigeon fly underscores how primitive technology could seem miraculous to an uneducated audience.

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Literary Devices and Stylistic Choices

1. Irony and Satire

   • Bacon’s tone is dryly humorous, mocking the gullibility of past generations.
     • "Flying in those days of yore may have been real enough to the multitude, but it was at best delusion."
     • "We can picture the scene at a 'flying seance'..." (implying these were obvious scams).
   • He contrasts ancient "genius" (like Archytas) with medieval absurdity (imps in pots), suggesting that progress is uneven.

2. Rhetorical Questions

   • "Was this aura a gas, or did men use it as spiritualists do today, as merely a word to conjure with?"
     • This question challenges the reader to consider how language and belief shape "scientific" claims.
   • "Surely for their eyes it would need no more than the simplest phantasmagoria..."
     • Implies that people believe what they want to believe, regardless of evidence.

3. Historical Allusions and Juxtaposition

   • Bacon contrasts different eras to show how perceptions of flight evolved:
     • Ancient Greece (Archytas) → Roman Empire (Nero’s era) → Medieval Europe (saints and imps).
   • Each example grows increasingly ridiculous, reinforcing the idea that true flight required scientific rigor, not superstition.

4. Imagery and Sensory Language

   • "Urns of Bacchus filling themselves with wine" → Evokes classical and religious miracles, suggesting how easily people accepted the impossible.
   • "A little black thread" → A minimalist, almost comical image that exposes the simplicity behind "miracles."

5. Authorial Voice and Perspective

   • Bacon writes with 19th-century scientific confidence, assuming his readers share his skepticism of the supernatural.
   • His condescension toward the past ("the ignorant and highly superstitious audience") reflects the Victorian/Edwardian belief in progress—that modernity had outgrown such folly.

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Significance of the Passage

1. Historical Perspective on Aviation

   • The excerpt traces the prehistory of flight, showing how myth, religion, and early science all contributed to the dream of human aviation.
   • It contextualizes modern aviation as the culmination of centuries of trial, error, and deception.

2. Critique of Human Credulity

   • Bacon’s skeptical approach serves as a warning about how easily people are misled, whether by charlatans, religious dogma, or pseudoscience.
   • This theme remains relevant in discussions of modern pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, and technological hype.

3. The Transition from Myth to Science

   • The passage marks a shift from supernatural explanations (imps, spirits) to mechanical ones (Archytas’ pigeon, later aeronautics).
   • It foreshadows the scientific revolution in aviation that would soon make flight a reality.

4. Literary and Cultural Influence

   • Bacon’s work reflects late 19th-century attitudes toward history—a mix of admiration for progress and disdain for "dark ages" superstition.
   • His satirical tone influenced later popular science writing, which often contrasts past errors with modern knowledge.

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Line-by-Line Breakdown of Key Sections

1. "So wrote Wilkins, Bishop of Chester..."

   • Introduces the idea that even respected figures (like Wilkins) borrowed from earlier, dubious sources.
   • Sets up the theme of inherited, often unreliable, knowledge.

2. "And those ideas had in some sort of way, for good or ill, taken practical shape."

   • Acknowledges that some attempts were sincere experiments, while others were frauds or delusions.

3. "Was this aura a gas, or did men use it as spiritualists do today, as merely a word to conjure with?"

   • Challenges the reader to think about how language masks ignorance—was "aura" an early scientific concept or just mysticism?

4. "Here, at any rate, was an honest man, or the story would not have ended thus..."

   • The Roman who died flying is presented as genuine—his failure proves he wasn’t a fraud.
   • Contrasts with later charlatans who survived by deceit.

5. "In the good old times it did not need the genius of a Maskelyne to do a 'levitation' trick."

   • Maskelyne was a famous 19th-century magician; Bacon implies that ancient "flight" was just cheap magic.
   • Suggests that modern audiences are harder to fool (a debatable claim, but fitting for his era).

6. "Surely for their eyes it would need no more than the simplest phantasmagoria..."

   • "Phantasmagoria" (a term for magical illusions) reinforces the idea that people saw what they expected to see.
   • The "black thread" is a metaphor for hidden mechanisms—simple explanations behind "miracles."

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Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

Bacon’s excerpt is more than just a historical account—it’s a meditation on human ambition, deception, and the slow march of progress. By examining failed and fraudulent attempts at flight, he:

• Celebrates genuine innovation (like Archytas’ mechanical pigeon).
• Mocks superstition and credulity (medieval flying saints, "imps in pots").
• Warns against blind faith in "miracles"—a lesson applicable to science, technology, and even modern media.

His skeptical, witty, and slightly condescending style reflects the confidence of the early 20th century, a time when science seemed poised to conquer all—even the skies. Yet, his acknowledgment of past failures also serves as a humble reminder that progress is built on both genius and folly.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect, such as the historical figures mentioned or the broader cultural context of early aviation literature?