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L E T T ER IV.

MY HONOURED FRIEND,

I Still have hopes: for what philofophers dare not attempt the ladies easily accomplish. They can smile into acquiescence that uncouth monster, public prejudice; and they regulate the opinions and manners of a nation at pleasure.
My perseverance, amidst the difficulties and supposed dangers which surround me, in consequence of the failure of Moret, has given me an air of heroism which you know interests the fair sex. The Lyceum therefore is crouded with company, and particularly Ladies, who take for granted I am to ascend; many of them wish I were not engaged to Mr. Biggin, that they might accompany me; and, with that bewitching air of sincerity which is almost peculiar to the women of this county, and which I think more difficult to resist than the coquetry of my own, they express a tender concern for my safety, which fixes my determination: and I will ascend, if I do it from the street.
I have a prospect of being accommodated with an enclosed piece of ground, which is appropriated for the exercise of a body of armed citizens, viz. the Hon. Artillery Company. This corps is composed of all the officers of the six regiments of the London Militia, and other gentlemen to the amount of five hundred. It is a collection or assemblage of officers, all independent, in officers uniforms, who in case of emergency might exercise, in a month, twenty thousand men. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is Captain-general, and Sir Watkin Lewis, one of the representatives ^[[in]]
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in Parliament for the city of London is their colonel. To this gentleman I have made application, and the Rev. Mr. Kirwan, chaplain to the embassy, whose friendship upon this, and every other occasion, I shall ever remember with gratitude, did me the honour to wait upon him, and represented the consequence of my disappointment of Chelsea-garden, and the very great expences I have been at, and that unless the Honourable Artillery Company would take me under their protection, I could get no proper place for the experiment, from the apprehension of riots and disturbances.  Sir Watkin heard his representation with candour, and after enquiring into the principles on which my Balloon was constructed, the reasons of the failure of Monsieur De Moret, and attending to every information on the subject which could be given by Doctor Fordyce, Mr Biggin and me, he promised to lay my application before the Court of Assistants of the Artillery Company. The honourable mention he was pleased to make of me, and of my endeavours to promote science by executing the experiment; the support he gave my application, and the liberality with which he acted, and which distinguish his character, demand my warmest thanks. You would be astonished at the apprehensions and prejudices excited, even in this respectable body, by the failure of De Moret. In vain did Sir Watkin recommend to them to exercise their own judgment; a violent debate took place; and the concession was carried only by his casting vote. I had been led by policy as well as inclination, to connect charity with the other motives, which might induce the English to favour my enterprize. I engaged to give a Hundred Guineas to the family of the late Sir Bernard Turner, as [[an]]
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an inducement to the Court of Assistants to grant methe Artillery Ground to receive my company. and to launch my Machine. Another Court was called, which was necessary to confirm the proceedings of the former; that was numerously attended, and the proposal again carried by the casting vote of Sir Watkin Lewis.
In consequence of this grant from the Honourable the Artillery Company, I published the following advertisement.

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GRAND AIR BALLOON,
With which Mr. Lunardi and the ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, are  to ascend into the Atmosphere.

MR LUNARDI is extremely happy to have it in his power to inform the public, that in consequence of an application made to the honourable Artillery Company, they have been so kind as to accomodate him with the use of their ground, for the purpose of executing the experiment he has undertaken, with this condition annexed, that he shall pay one hundred guineas to be added to the subscription for the children
of the late Sir Bernard Turner: The very laudable and benevolent motive which influenced the honourable company to make this demand, was of itself sufficiently operative on the feelings, to remove every objection on the part of Mr. Lunardi to a proposal that flowed from the impulse of philanthropy and the cause of humanity. Mr. Lunardi wishes to testify his grat ^[[itude]]
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titude in the warmest manner to the public, and will feel a pleasure inexpressible in being able, by their means, to contribute to the relief of distress, and in particular, that of the family of so respectable an individual as Sir Bernard Turner. He desires to return his sincere thanks to the Honourable Artillery Company, for the great civility he has received from them, and particularly for the favour of resolving to appear under arms, for the purpose of preserving order and regularity on the day of his Balloon being launched. He has the highest sense of honour they intend him, and the additional satisfaction of acquainting the public, that the three avenues leading to the and from the Ground, as well as the outside of the gates, will be guarded by the sergeants of the City Militia and the Peace-Officers, in order to render the access to the Artillery Ground easy and convenient to his subscribers, and to all others who may be led to favour him with their presence on that day, which is determined to be Wednesday the 15th instant, between Twelve and One o'clock, if the weather permits.
As Mr. Lunardi is desirous to prevent confusion, he has determined that no money shall be taken at the gates of the Artillery Ground, or any person admitted without tickets which are now issuing at the office adjoining to the Lyceum at one guinea, half a guinea and five shillings,
Tickets, which have already been delivered for Chelsea Hospital Garden, will admit the bearers to the Artillery Ground.
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