One november night in the year 1782, so the story runs, two brothers sat over their winter fire in the little French town of Annonay, watching the grey smoke-wreaths from the hearth curl up the wide chimney. Their names were Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier, they were paper makers by trade, and were noted as possessing thoughtful minds and a deep interest in all scientific knowledge and new discovery. "What is the hidden power that makes those curling smoke-wreaths rise upwards, and could I not also employ it to make other things rise also?" They made themselves a small fire of some light fuel in a little tin tray or chafing-dish, and over the smoke of it they held a large paper bag. And to their delight they saw the bag fill out and make a feeble attempt to rise. That night of 1782 marks the first great step ever made towards the conquest of the skies.

from Balloons, Airships and Flying Machines by Gertrude Bacon, 1905