Some guns were fired to give notice that the departure of the balloon was near. … Means were used, I am told, to prevent the great balloon’s rising so high as might endanger its bursting....

Let’s salute our enemies. That makes at least one happy. (Saluons nos ennemis. – Ca fait au moins un heureux.)

I doubt that my sense of personal freedom is any stronger than anybody else’s. I’m happy to respect authority when it’s genuine authority, based on moral or intellectual or even technical superiority. I’m eager to...