In the days just before the Revolution Alice Lee Shippen, of the Virginia Lees, was living in Philadelphia with her husband Dr. William Shippen. They entertained a good deal often hosting the Virginia delegation to the Continental Congresses. (See the Shippen house on the left.) When the war began, the doctor left to serve with the Continental Army, eventually becoming Director General and Chief Physician. The Shippens had sent their two children to boarding school in the hope that they would be safe from the battling armies. Anne, known as Nancy, was at Mrs. Roger’s School in Trenton, New Jersey, and Thomas at Needwood Forest Academy in Frederick Town, Maryland. Alice Shippen’s letter to her fourteen-year-old daughter in 1777 gives a good idea of how a young girl was expected to behave and what was thought to be important for her to learn. There is a strange disconnect between the concerns of mother and daughter and the war being waged.

My dear Nancy
I was extremely surprized when the waggon return’d the other evening without one line from you after I had been at the trouble & expence of sending for you as soon as I was inform’d 4000 troops were landed in Elizabeth-Town. Surely you should not omit any opportunity of writing to me, but to neglect such a one was inexcusable, but I shall say the less to you now, because you have been taught your duty & I take it for granted Mrs. Rogers has already reproved you for so great an omission, but do remember my dear how much of the beauty & usefulness of life depends on a proper conduct in the several relations in life, & the sweet peace that flows from the consideration of doing our duty to all with whom we are conected. I am sorry it is not in my power to get you the things I promised. It was late before I got to Philadelphia the afternoon I left you & the shops were shut the next day. I have looked all over this place but no muslin, satin or dimity can be got. …
Your Pappa thinks you had better work a pr. of ruffles for General Washington if you can get proper muslin. … Tell me how you improve in your work. Needle work is a most important branch of a female education, & tell me how you have improved in holding your head & sholders, in making a curtsy, in going out or coming into a room, in giving & receiving, holding your knife & fork, walking & seting. These things contribute so much to a good appearance they are of great consequence. Perhaps you will be at a loss how to judge wether you improve or not, take this rule therefore for your assistance. You may be sure you improve in proportion to the degree of ease with which you do any thing as you have been taught to do it … ask Mrs. Rogers opinion as a friend who now acts for you in my place … Give my compliments to her & tell her I thank her for the care she takes of you. … Dont offend Miss Jones by speaking against the Quakers. … There is an alarm here the enemy are said to be coming this way, tis lucky you are not with me. … I believe I will write to you as soon as I get settled [in Maryland]. Farewell my dear. Be good & you will surely be happy which will contribute very much to the happiness of
Your Affect. Mother A. Shippen.

Alice Shippen’s letter is on pages 118-19 of In the Words of Women. The illustration of the Shippen house in Philadelphia along with a history of the Lees can be found here.

The fascination with hot air and gas balloons gave rise in the 1780s to what was called “balloonmania.” Ascents drew enormous crowds. Balloon motifs appeared everywhere: on furniture, jewelry, medallions, hairstyles, hats, clothing, ceramics, commemorative plates, bowls and even food as in “filet à la Montgolfier.” Pictured here are some samples, including caricatures, particularly of clothing. See other evidence of this fad here.

Sarah Jay, continuing to report on balloon ascensions in Paris in 1783, noted in a letter dated November 30 to her husband John in England:

Tomorrow Monr. [Jacques Alexandre César] Charles will entertain the public with the sight of a very large Globe which is to ascend from the Tuilleries, w[it]h a kind of Carr attach’d to it in which two persons will sit. As I can see it as well from the terrace as the Garden I’ll inclose my ticket which may serve to give you an idea of it. …

The launch of the Charliére, as it was called, drew huge crowds. The best views were had by the elite who could purchase tickets admitting them to an enclosure near the launch site. In her next letter Sarah described the scene.

[The balloon ascended] exactly [as] represented in the ticket I … sent you … [the Carr was] supported by Cords that fastened it to a net that was thrown over the upper part of the Globe. Thro’ the Globe pass’d a tube that descended into the Carr, which by means of a string serv’d to let out the air from the top at the discretion of the gentleman. The Balloon as before was made of taffeta & covered with elastic-gum. … [The gentlemen] found themselves sufficiently masters of it, to make it rise or descend at pleasure, by means of the ballast they provided, for they took up as many sacks of sand as the Globe could raise, which made their Asscent very gradual, & when they chose to mount still higher they threw out some of the sand. It was 40 min. before two when they left the Garden, & as the wind was very gentle it remain’d a long time in sight. … [it] arriv’d l/4 before 4 at a Village 9 leagues from Paris. …

Notice the physical differences between the Montgolfier balloon shown in the previous post and the balloon in the illustration above. The Montgolfier globe had a circular gallery around its base for the pilot and passenger. The Charliére had a blue and gold gondola or “carr” attached by cords to netting covering rubberized silk panels of red and yellow stripes. It was filled with inflammable gas rather than hot air and utilized a valve-and-ballast system to help control altitude. Sarah continued with an interesting observation.

I forgot to mention that a short time before the Cords that detain’d the great Balloon were cut, a little Globe of 4 feet diameter was sent up to amuse the people; & what appears extraordinary, was it’s taking a direct contrary course from that which the other immediately after went & seems to prove that the wind differs at the same inst. at different heights, so that if the Balloon cannot lay too, it may at least avoid the effects of an opposite wind by diving or soaring. I am inform’d that the Gentlemen made some curious experiments while detach’d from earth & that they will be related in the Journal to-morrow. If they are I’ll send it to you.

I am quite blown away (pun intended) by Sarah’s understanding of what made the balloons rise and descend. And even more impressed by her concluding from the behavior of the small balloon that the wind may blow in different directions and at different speeds depending on altitude. I suspect that her friend, and John’s colleague, scientist Benjamin Franklin, had discussed the principles involved with her. When Franklin was asked what use the balloon might have, he is said to have replied: “What is the use of a new-born infant?”

The quoted material can be found on pages 156-58 of Selected Letters of John Jay and Sarah Livingston Jay. The illustration is from La-Navigation-aérienne-Histoire-documentaire-et-anecdotique-e1369779381764. An excellent article, The Balloon Era, can be found here.