Description des expriences de la machine arostatique de MM. de Montgolfier

The French geologist and traveller Barthlemy Faujas de Saint-Fond (1741-1819) was a strong supporter of the aerostatic experiments of the Montgolfier brothers, seeking to publicise their pioneering endeavours in this 1783 work. Exploiting the principle that hot air is lighter than cold, the Montgolfiers developed and demonstrated their hot air balloons to great acclaim. In this collection of reports, Faujas presents the details of each experiment, describing the balloons as well as potential improvements. Where possible, he specifies the position of witnesses, precise timings and viewing angles. A number of finely engraved plates enhance the work, giving readers a flavour of the spectacle that impressed contemporary observers. Faujas published a second volume, containing additional accounts and illustrations, in 1784. His Minralogie des volcans (1784) and Essai de gologie (1803-9) are also reissued in this series.