articles of manufacture and art from the last days of the machine
period to that day; and he went over them with us, and explained them
with great care. They also were very interesting, showing the
transition from the makeshift work of the machines (which was at
about its worst a little after the Civil War before told of) into the
first years of the new handicraft period. Of course, there was much
overlapping of the periods: and at first the new handwork came in
very slowly.

"You must remember," said the old antiquary, "that the handicraft was
not the result of what used to be called material necessity: on the
contrary, by that time the machines had been so much improved that
almost all necessary work might have been done by them: and indeed
many people at that time, and before it, used to think that machinery
would entirely supersede handicraft; which certainly, on the face of
it, seemed more than likely. But there was another opinion, far less
logical, prevalent amongst the rich people before the days of
freedom, which did not die out at once after that epoch had begun.
This opinion, which from all I can learn seemed as natural then, as
it seems absurd now, was, that while the ordinary daily work of the
world would be done entirely by automatic machinery, the energies of
the more intelligent part of mankind would be set free to follow the
higher forms of the arts, as well as science and the study of
history. It was strange, was it not, that they should thus ignore
that aspiration after complete equality which we now recognise as the
bond of all happy human society?"

I did not answer, but thought the more. Dick looked thoughtful, and
said: