The massive forehead once
pregnant with the fire of genius, grew dull and slow of thought, while
the sturdy frame of iron hardihood became a tottering wreck. He was
removed to the Home for Incurables at Broomhill, Kirkintilloch, where he
died on January 2, 1877, and was interred in the Old Aisle Cemetery. He
was a widower, and had two children, but they were said to be abroad at
the time, the son in America and the daughter on the Continent.
Several of Bain's earlier patents are taken out in two names, but this
was perhaps owing to his poverty compelling him to take a partner. If
these and other inventions were substantially his own, and we have no
reason to suppose that he received more help from others than is usual
with inventors, we must allow that Bain was a mechanical genius of the
first order --a born inventor. Considering the early date of his
achievements, and his lack of education or pecuniary resource, we
cannot but wonder at the strength, fecundity, and prescience of his
creative faculty. It has been said that he came before his time; but
had he been more fortunate in other respects, there is little,doubt that
he would have worked out and introduced all or nearly all his
inventions, and probably some others.
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