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for himself； and to leave a large and prosperous business； saying； 〃I
have now enough of this world's goods； let younger men have their
chance。〃 He settled down at his rural retreat in Kent； but not to
lead a life of idle ease。 Industry had become his habit； and active
occupation was necessary to his happiness。 He fell back upon the
cultivation of those artistic tastes which are the heritage of his
family。 When a boy at the High School of Edinburgh； he was so skilful
in making pen and ink illustrations on the margins of the classics；
that he thus often purchased from his monitors exemption from the
lessons of the day。 Nor had he ceased to cultivate the art during his
residence at Patricroft； but was accustomed to fall back upon it for
relaxation and enjoyment amid the pursuits of trade。 That he
possesses remarkable fertility of imagination； and great skill in
architectural and landscape drawing； as well as in the much more
difficult art of delineating the human figure； will be obvious to any
one who has seen his works；more particularly his 〃City of St。
Ann's；〃 〃The Fairies；〃 and 〃Everybody for ever！〃 which last was
exhibited in Pall Mail； among the recent collection of works of Art
by amateurs and others； for relief of the Lancashire distress。 He has
also brought his common sense to bear on such unlikely subject's as
the origin of the cuneiform character。 The possession of a brick from
Babylon set him a thinking。 How had it been manufactured？ Its under
side was clearly marked by the sedges of the Euphrates upon which it
had been laid to dry and bake in the sun。 But how about those curious
cuneiform characters？ How had writing assumed so remarkable a form？
His surmise was this： that the brickmakers； in telling their tale of
bricks； used the triangular corner of another brick； and by pressing
it down upon the soft clay； left behind it the triangular mark which
the cuneiform character exhibits。 Such marks repeated； and placed in
different relations to each other； would readily represent any
number。 From the use of the corner of a brick in writing； the
transition was easy to a pointed stick with a triangular end； by the
use of which all the cuneiform characters can readily be produced
upon the soft clay。 This curious question formed the subject of an
interesting paper read by Mr。 Nasmyth before the British Association
at Cheltenham。
But the most engrossing of Mr。 Nasmyth's later pursuits has been the
science of astronomy； in which； by bringing a fresh； original mind to
the observation of celestial phenomena； he has succeeded in making
some of the most remarkable discoveries of our time。 Astronomy was
one of his favourite pursuits at Patricroft； and on his retirement
became his serious study。 By repeated observations with a powerful
reflecting telescope of his own construction； he succeeded in making
a very careful and minute painting of the craters； cracks； mountains；
and valleys in the moon's surface； for which a Council Medal was
awarded him at the Great Exhibition of 1851。 But the most striking
discovery which he has made by means of big telescopethe result
of patient； continuous； and energetic observationhas been that of
the nature of the sun's surface； and the character of the
extraordinary light…giving bodies； apparently possessed of voluntary
motion； moving across it； sometimes forming spots or hollows of more
than a hundred thousand miles in diameter。
The results of these observations were of so novel a character that
astronomers for some time hesitated to receive them as facts。*
＇footnote。。。
See Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester；
3rd series； vol。1。 407。
。。。＇
Yet so eminent an astronomer as Sir John Herschel does not hesitate
now to describe them as 〃a most wonderful discovery。〃 〃According to
Mr。 Nasmyth's observations；〃 says he； 〃made with a very fine
telescope of his own making； the bright surface of the sun consists
of separate； insulated； individual objects or things； all nearly or
exactly of one certain definite size and shape； which is more like
that of a willow leaf； as he describes them； than anything else。
These leaves or scales are not arranged in any order （as those on a
butterfly's wing are）； but lie crossing one another in all
directions； like what are called spills in the game of spillikins；
except at the borders of a spot； where they point for the most part
inwards towards the middle of the spot；*
＇footnote。。。
Sir John Herschel adds； 〃Spots of not very irregular； and what may be
called compact form； covering an area of between seven and eight
hundred millions of square miles； are by no means uncommon。 One spot
which I measured in the year 1837 occupied no less than three
thousand seven hundred and eighty millions； taking in all the
irregularities of its form； and the black space or nucleus in the
middle of one very nearly round one would have allowed the earth to
drop through it； leaving a thousand clear miles on either side； and
many instances of much larger spots than these are on record。〃
。。。＇
presenting much the sort of appearance that the small leaves of some
water…plants or sea…weeds do at the edge of a deep hole of clear
water。 The exceedingly definite shape of these objects； their exact
similarity one to another； and the way in which they lie across and
athwart each other （except where they form a sort of bridge across a
spot； in which case they seem to affect a common direction； that；
namely； of the bridge itself）；all these characters seem quite
repugnant to the notion of their being of a vaporous； a cloudy； or a
fluid nature。 Nothing remains but to consider them as separate and
independent sheets； flakes； or scales； having some sort of solidity。
And these flakes； be they what they may； and whatever may be said
about the dashing of meteoric stones into the sun's atmosphere； &c。；
are evidently THE IMMEDIATE SOURCES OF THE SOLAR LIGHT AND HEAT； by
whatever mechanism or whatever processes they may be enabled to
develope and； as it were； elaborate these elements from the bosom of
the non…luminous fluid in which they appear to float。 Looked at in
this point of view； we cannot refuse to regard them as organisms of
some peculiar and amazing kind； and though it would be too daring to
speak of such organization as partaking of the nature of life； yet we
do know that vital action is competent to develop heat and light； as
well as electricity。 These wonderful objects have been seen by others
as well as Mr。 Nasmyth； so that them is no room to doubt of their
reality。〃*
＇footnote。。。
SIR JOHN HERSCHEL in Good Words for April； 1863。
。。。＇
Such is the marvellous discovery made by the inventor of the
steam…hammer； as described by the most distinguished astronomer of
the age。 A writer in the Edinburgh Review； referring to the subject
in a recent number； says it shows him 〃to possess an intellect as
profound as it is exper