Napoleon's coronation and the Liberty Bell's History

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[Psalm118]

"The bell arrived in Philadelphia on September 1, 1752, but was not hung until March 10, 1753, on which day Isaac Norris wrote, "I had the mortification to hear that it was cracked by a stroke of the clapper without any other viollence [sic] as it was hung up to try the sound."

Please read this very interesting retelling of the tortured history of The Liberty bell. But first, a word about Napoleon. --------------------------------------------------------- I am here in Italy (Psalm118) doing archive research. Serendipity had her way with me, when I ran into this archived report from Dec 17, 1804. During the night between Dec 16 and 17 an enormous "montgolfière" or hot-air balloon crashed on the ancient "Via Cassia" atop an old Imperial Roman funerary monument, commonly named after Emperor Nero, but in actuality housing the ashes of one Publius Vibio.

This ballon was truly huge, and was festooned with very large draped French tricolor flags and carried Napoleon's Gilded Imperial laurel-wreath, or crown. It was lit by three thousand tiny oil lanterns, self enclosed to prevent spreading fire to the aeromobile. It had been launched in Paris among popular jubilation on December 4th, the day Napoleon ripped off the crown from the Pope's hands in Notre Dame and crowned HIM-SELF.

The impact caused the crown to be ripped from the frame holding it fast, and it crashed to the ground. The balloon, then becoming free of the weight, took off again for a few dozen miles, finally sinking into the dark waters of the Lake of Bracciano.

The Roman citizenry who hated the French with a fiery passion for the cruelty unleashed on them in the pillage of 1798, drew their own thoughts from this omen, which were proven right before too long, at Saint Helena.

[Psalm118]

"Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land, and unto all the Inhabitants thereof" Leviticus, 25:10

[EggsAckley]

This is a fascinating story, and I wanted to read more. I followed the "excerpted" link but couldn't find this article. It's a wonderful Liberty Bell page, but this article couldn't be found. What gives?

[Psalm118]

I hould have been more precise, and point out, how the Napoleon thing was in an "archive" not on the net. The story about the bell, was my attempt to tie-in omens in different times of history. I'll try again tomorrow, in a better rendition.

[EggsAckley]

Thank you. I'll be looking for it.