Victorians dreamed of a day when man could soar with the birds. Articles abounded on what future flight would look like and how it would be accomplished. The "Aerobat" that was predicted as coming in the "near future" in 1879, for example, looked a bit on paper like a cross between a Zeppelin and a flying saucer. Various types of mechanical flying machines were proposed, hailed as the future of flight, tested, and... well, suffice it to say that heavier-than-air flight was to remain a dream a while longer. Other articles proposed ways of enabling an individual to fly, with various types of mechanical wings. The only viable way of enabling a human to move through the air before 1903 was the balloon (of which the Zeppelin is simply a large variation). Balloons were used for aerial photography, military reconnaissance, recreational travel, exploration (often with disastrous results, as with Andree's planned balloon flight to the North Pole), and scientific research. And since balloons were the only actual Victorian form of aviation, you'll find a great many fiction stories about amazing balloon journeys!

Balloons (Illustrated London Reading Book, 1850)

Balloons and Ballooning (Cassell's Family Paper, 1860)

Experiences of an Aeronaut (Leisure Hour, 1860)

What it's like to "sail" in a balloon.

Aerial Navigation (Scribners, 1879A)

The "Aerobat" of "the near future," which looks a bit like a cross between a Zeppelin and a flying saucer.

Tied Up in the Air [in Paris], by Harry Jones (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1879)

Hovering over Paris in a hot air balloon.

An Artist's Trip Through the Clouds, by W. Bazett Murray (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1880)

A ride in a balloon over London.

Some Balloon Experiences, by John Lewees (St. Nicholas, 1882A)

Amateur Ballooning, by Alfred E. Moore (Century Magazine, 1886B)

Balloon Experiences of a Timid Photographer, by John G. Doughty (Century Magazine, 1886B)

Includes some excellent aerial photographs.

Travels in the Air, by Karl Blind (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

Developments in balloon aviation.

A Balloon Voyage (Pictorial Museum of Sport & Adventure, ca. 1890)

The Story of the Parachute (Pictorial Museum of Sport & Adventure, ca. 1890)

Up in a Balloon (Pictorial Museum of Sport & Adventure, ca. 1890)

Aerial Navigation: The Power Required, by Hiram S. Maxim (Century Magazine, 1891B)

Some theories on what might make flight possible.

The Possibility of Mechanical Flight, by S.P. Langley (Century Magazine, 1891B)

Langley, who also authored a series of articles on "the new astronomy" (link), was the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

My First and Last Balloon Ascension, by Robert V.V. Sewell (Century Magazine, 1894A)

A New Flying Machine, by Hiram S. Maxim (Century Magazine, 1895A)

The author's experiments in aerial navigation.

The New Flying Machine, by Prof. S.P. Langley (The Strand, 1897A)

A Metal Balloon, by James Walter Smith (The Strand, 1898A)

The Schwarz aluminum balloon, an early dirigible.

Up in a Balloon, Boys! by J.M. Bacon (English Illustrated Magazine, 1899A)

On the new frontiers of research being conducted by balloon.

The Zeppelin Air-Ship, by Thomas Curtis (The Strand, 1900B)

The Biggest Balloon Contest on Earth, by Jacques Boyer (Strand, 1901A)

A variety of balloon navigational contests held by the Aero Club of France.

Ballooning, by Roy Knabenshue (Drapers' Self-Culture, 1913)

The author is a designer and constructor of balloons, airships and flying machines.

Ballooning as a Sport, by A.W. Rolker (Drapers' Self-Culture, 1913)

Ballooning for Ladies (Drapers' Self-Culture, 1913)