Notwithstandingthelossesandsufferingoccasionedbystrikes，Mr。
Nasmythholdstheopinionthattheyhaveonthewholeproducedmuchmoregoodthanevil。Theyhaveservedtostimulateinventioninanextraordinarydegree。Someofthemostimportantlabour-savingprocessesnowincommonusearedirectlytraceabletothem。Inthecaseofmanyofourmostpotentself-actingtoolsandmachines，manufacturerscouldnotbeinducedtoadoptthemuntilcompelledtodosobystrikes。Thiswastheeasewiththeself-actingmule，thewool-combingmachine，theplaningmachine，theslottingmachine，Nasmyth’ssteamarm，andmanyothers。Thus，eveninthemechanicalworld，theremaybe”asoulofgoodnessinthingsevil。”
Mr。NasmythretiredfrombusinessinDecember，1856。Hehadthemoralcouragetocomeoutofthegroovewhichhehadsolaboriouslymadeforhimself，andtoleavealargeandprosperousbusiness，saying，”I
havenowenoughofthisworld’sgoods；letyoungermenhavetheirchance。”HesettleddownathisruralretreatinKent，butnottoleadalifeofidleease。Industryhadbecomehishabit，andactiveoccupationwasnecessarytohishappiness。Hefellbackuponthecultivationofthoseartistictasteswhicharetheheritageofhisfamily。WhenaboyattheHighSchoolofEdinburgh，hewassoskilfulinmakingpenandinkillustrationsonthemarginsoftheclassics，thathethusoftenpurchasedfromhismonitorsexemptionfromthelessonsoftheday。NorhadheceasedtocultivatetheartduringhisresidenceatPatricroft，butwasaccustomedtofallbackuponitforrelaxationandenjoymentamidthepursuitsoftrade。Thathepossessesremarkablefertilityofimagination，andgreatskillinarchitecturalandlandscapedrawing，aswellasinthemuchmoredifficultartofdelineatingthehumanfigure，willbeobvioustoanyonewhohasseenhisworks，——moreparticularlyhis”CityofSt。
Ann’s，””TheFairies，”and”Everybodyforever！”whichlastwasexhibitedinPallMail，amongtherecentcollectionofworksofArtbyamateursandothers，forreliefoftheLancashiredistress。Hehasalsobroughthiscommonsensetobearonsuchunlikelysubject’sastheoriginofthecuneiformcharacter。ThepossessionofabrickfromBabylonsethimathinking。Howhaditbeenmanufactured?ItsundersidewasclearlymarkedbythesedgesoftheEuphratesuponwhichithadbeenlaidtodryandbakeinthesun。Buthowaboutthosecuriouscuneiformcharacters?Howhadwritingassumedsoremarkableaform?