breadth exactly, which is absolutely necessary to the floating
Figure, or else one side or any one part being wider or longer than
the rest, it would interrupt the motion of the whole Engine; only
there is one extraordinary Feather which, as there is an odd one in
the number, is placed in the Center, and is the Handle, or rather
Rudder to the whole Machine: This Feather is every way larger than
its Fellows, 'tis almost as long and broad again; but above all, its
Quill or Head is much larger, and it has as it were several small
bushing Feathers round the bottom of it, which all make but one
presiding or superintendent Feather, to guide, regulate, and pilot
the whole Body.

Nor are these common Feathers, but they are pickt and cull'd out of
all parts of the Lunar Country, by the Command of the Prince; and
every Province sends up the best they can find, or ought to do so at
least, or else they are very much to blame; for the Employment they
are put to being of so great use to the Publick, and the Voyage or
Flight so exceeding high, it would be very ill done if, when the King
sends his Letters about the Nation, to pick him up the best Feathers
they can lay their Hands on, they should send weak, decay'd, or
half-grown Feathers, and yet sometimes it happens so; and once there
was such rotten Feathers collected, whether it was a bad Year for
Feathers, or whether the People that gather'd them had a mind to
abuse their King; but the Feathers were so bad, the Engine was good
for nothing, but broke before it was got half way; and by a double
Misfortune, this happen'd to be at an unlucky time, when the King
himself had resolv'd on a Voyage, or Flight to to the Moon; but being
deceiv'd, by the unhappy Miscarriage of the deficient Feathers, he
fell down from so great a height, that he struck himself against his
own Palace, and beat his Head off.