A PREFACE AND AN APOLOGY,\ i 9 
graceful and grand as without hyperbole to be worthy of 
the title King of the Dragon-Flies ! Addrefling him, I 
faid, “ I know what you have come for ! It’s all right! 
Good-bye ! ” and drawing afide the lace curtain from the 
open window, my vifitor darted out and difappeared. 
And this is why I have written this booh. I cannot 
fuppofe that I fhall tell all that needs to be known to 
make the navigation of the air poflible. No caufe and 
no science is ever made by one man; in fact, men create 
nothing: we can only imitate Nature; and we know 
only what is given to us; our refponfibilities are limited 
to what we can do; and though it be but litde we are 
able to accomplifh in the world’s long hidory, it matters 
not where each one performs his Divinely allotted part. 
The general may get the glory of the battle, but the 
humbled: foldier who has performed his duty in the field 
has always within his own bread the confcioufnefs and the 
fatisfadlion of a duty done and commendation earned : 
and our great Milton fays:— 
<c They alfo Jerve , who only fiand and wait ! ” 
T. H. 
