The Virginia Gazette

LONDON, October 4.

There is lately arrived in Town from the East-Indies, but last from Lisbon, a Man of the most surprizing unaccountable Genius, that has appeared in the World for these many Ages past; he says he is an Italian, and a Native of Civitta Vecchia, named Signior Andero Ginnalde Volante, aged about Fifty, of a middle Stature, in Holy Orders of the College of Jesus, and went abroad twenty Years since, to travel in the Eastern Nations, by Order of the Father Provincial of the Propaganda fide.

This wonderful Man, after fourteen Years great Labour and Expence, has completed one of the most astonishing and compleatest Pieces of Mechanism, the World ever yet beheld. It is a Carriage of a most curious Texture and Workmanship, which, by the Help of Clockwork, is made to mount in the Air, and to proceed with that Rapidity of Force and Swiftness, as to be able to travel at the Rate of seven Leagues an Hour.

It is in Shape of a great Bird, the Extent of whose Wings, from Tip to Tip, is twenty two Feet; the Body is composed of Pieces of Cork, curiously held together by Joints of Wire, covered with Vellum and Feathers; the Wings of Catgut and Whalebone Strings, and covered with the same, and folds up in three Joints each.

In the Body of the Machine is contained thirty Wheels, of peculiar Make, with two Rollers, or Barrels of Brass, and small Chains, which alternately wind off from each other a counterpoise Weight, and by the Help of six Brass Tubes, that slide in Groves, with Partitions in them, and loaded with a certain Quantity of Quicksilver, the Machine is by Help of the Artist, kept in due Equilibrium and Ballance; and by the Friction of a Steel Wheel, properly tempered, and a large surprizing Magnet, the whole is kept in regular progressive Motion, unless the Temperature of Winds and Weather prevents, for he can no more fly in a Calm than he can in a Storm.

This wonderful Machine is guided and directed by a Tail ten Feet long, which is fastened by Leather Straps to his Knees and Ancles; and by the expanding his Legs, either to the Right or Left, he moves the whole which Way he chooses : The Head is also beautifully formed, and represents that of an Eagle's. The upper and lower Bill is made of a curious Arabian Goat's Horn, transparent, and Eyes of Glass, as natural as the Life, and turns upon an Axis inward, by the Help of two Wires fastened to the lower Beak, which keeps all three in perpetual Motion, as long as the Machine flies, (which is but three Hours) and then the Wings gradually close, and he of Course lights gently on his Feet, when he winds up the Clockwork, and sets himself again on the Wing.

But should any of his Springs or Wheels give Way he must inevitably fall to the Earth, like a mill-stone out of the Clouds, for which Reason he never soars above the Height of a common Tree : nor has but once adventured to cross the Sea, which was from Calais to Dover, and the same Morning arrived in London, to which Metropolis he was out of Curiosity drawn, by the Fame of some of our learned and curious Workmen in Mechanicks, who at this Day seem to vie, and even to out-do any of the known World, for Invention, Beauty, and Elegance; and he has already made his Application to two of the most Eminent in that Science, (who have seen him perform) and have promised to accomplish him by Christmas an entire new Set of Wheels, finished in a more accurate Manner, and not so liable to Accidents ; and to be contained in half the Space, with this additional Difference, that it shall move much swifter and continue for the Space of six Hours, at the Rate of thirty Miles per Hour, without winding up.

The delightful Choice of Feathers that adorn this Bird, as I may call it, surpasses Belief or Imagination, and much more the Skill of the most eminent Painter to imitate the beautiful Diversity of Colours and Shades there represented in the most lively Manner ; and the Colour consists of Azure, Gold, Scarlets, Greens, Browns, Blue, and White, ranged in such beautiful Form and Order, that the like was never seen.

He has made one Tour from Hyde-Park to Windsor Lodge, and back again, in less than two Hours, and proposes on his Majesty's Birth-Day, to set off from the Top of the Monument, at Nine o'Clock, if the Winds and Weather permit, and to make a Tour of the whole City and Suburbs, and settle in Hyde Park, about Eleven.

He at present is lodged privately at the House of an eminent Jew in Duke's Place.

When his new Machine is fully completed, he proposes to teach any Gentleman the Art and Use of it in a Month's Time, for Fifty Guineas, provided they do not live above the Distance of a Hundred and Fifty Miles from London.—This (if true) would be a fine Instrument! for the Post-Offices and News-Mongers, provided no Body else was allowed the Use of it.