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I would wish them to seek out for me , in the details I am about to give , some little oasis of fatality amid a wilderness of error . Our own state indeed , boastful as it is of its early history , the renown of some of its sons , and its abundant natural advantages , has nevertheless , we are pained to admit , manifested too little of that public spirit which has animated other communities . Of course it was in the rear of the house . This month , the first woman took her place as Speaker of the House of Representatives and the second black person was elected governor . To give [ page 48 :] to this a better coloring , I had contrived to have assembled a party of some eight or ten , and was solicitously careful that the introduction of cards should appear accidental , and originate in the proposal of my contemplated dupe himself . I would wish them to seek out for me , in [ page 418 :] the details I am about to give , some little oasis of fatality amid a wilderness of error . Overhead , the sky was of a jetty black , and the stars were brilliantly visible ; indeed they had been so constantly since the first day of ascent . The accelerated rate of ascent thus obtained , carried me too rapidly , and without sufficient gradation , into a highly rarefied stratum of the atmosphere , and the result had nearly proved fatal to my expedition and to myself . His vest was of some bright yellow material ; a white taffety cap was set jauntily on one side of his head ; and , to complete his equipment , a blood-red silk handkerchief enveloped his throat , and fell down , in a dainty manner , upon his bosom , in a fantastic bow-knot of super-eminent dimensions . Generally , an author who prints his production may be supposed to consider it of some value . If then , in time , Virginia shall be regenerated - - if she shall , hereafter , assume , as is just , that proud station from which her own supine and over-weening self-esteem has been the means of precipitating her , " it will all be owing , " ( we take pleasure in repeating the noble and prophetic words of Mr. Minor , ) " it will all be owing , under Providence , to the hearkening to that voice-not loud , but solemn and earnest - - which from the shrine of Reason and the tombs of buried commonwealths , reiterates and enforces the momentous precept - - ' ENLIGHTEN THE PEOPLE . On the other hand , I was not aware that , in any recorded ascension , a diminution had been proved to be apparent in the absolute rate of ascent ; although such should have been the case , if on account of nothing else , on account of the escape of gas through balloons ill-constructed , and varnished with no better material than the ordinary varnish . I did not at first know what to make of this extraordinary phenomenon ; not being able to believe that my rate of ascent had , of a sudden , met with so prodigious an acceleration .