MancJicstcr Mcuioirs, Vol. xliv. (1900), .V^^ I 



XI. On Aerial Locomotion. 



By Henry Wilde, F.R.S. 



Received and read April jrd, /goo. 



"A general speculation, without particular experiment, may conjecture 

 at many things, but can certainly effect nothing." " Amongst other impedi- 

 ments of any strange invention or attempt, it is none of the meanest 

 discouragements, that they are so generally derided by common opinion." — 

 Bishop W1LK.INS, F.R.S. , Matlieniaticai Magick, Lib. 2, Cap. 6, i6So. 



1. The Bakerian Lecture, delivered before the Royal 

 Society by Faraday in the year 1850, "On the pos.sible 

 relation of Gravity to Electricity,"* is remarkable from the 

 entirely negative character of the experiiTiental results 

 obtained. Nevertheless, the conviction that such relation 

 subsisted between these forces was in no degree shaken 

 in the mind of the illustrious experimentalist. He com- 

 mended the subject to other investigators, for if true, he 

 adds, " no terms could exaggerate the value of the relation 

 they would establish." 



2. It is not easy to realise the nature of the manifes- 

 tation that Faraday expected to find as the result of his 

 experiments, beyond the transformation of the mechanical 

 force generated by a falling body into heat or electricity, 

 but, as gravity (notwithstanding its universality) is not, like 

 extension, a necessary property of matter, the range of 

 the enquiry might have included the property of levitation, 

 either real or apparent, just as we have the mutually 

 repellent action of similarly electrified or magnetised 

 bodies. 



* Phil. Trans., 1 851, p. i. 

 May 4th, igoo. 



