CLOUDS. 257 



mediately after sunset, the clouds that surround the 

 western horizon have no remarkable tints, the body of 

 them being of a dark gray, or ash color, having their 

 edges tipt with white. As the sun retires below the 

 hemisphere, the gray portion of the clouds becomes 

 brown or auburn, and the silvery edges of a yellow or 

 golden hue. While the auburn is gradually changing 

 into purple, the yellows deepen into orange and ver 

 milion. Every tint is constantly changing into a 

 deeper one, until the sky is decorated with every imag 

 inable color, excepting green and blue. The two last 

 are ingredients in some of the compound hues, but they 

 are never seen in their purity. When these colors have 

 attained their maximum of splendor, they gradually 

 fade away, until the body of each cloud has turned to a 

 dull iron gray, and every gorgeous tint has vanished. 

 The spectator then supposes that all this scene of glory 

 is ended. After a few minutes, however, the clouds 

 begin once more to brighten, the whole picture is gradu 

 ally reilluminated and passes through another gradation 

 of more sombre tints, consisting of olive, lilac, and 

 bronze, or some of their shades. The second illumina 

 tion is not so bright or so beautiful as the first ; but I 

 have known the light that falls upon the earth to be 

 sensibly increased by this reillumination, without any 

 diminution of the mass of clouds. 



It is difficult to explain the source of those highly 

 pleasurable emotions with which we contemplate the 

 tints of the morning and evening sky. No man can 

 look at them without being convinced that there is 

 intrinsic beauty in colors ; though it is the opinion of 

 some philosophers that even the sensations that spring 

 from the sight of colors arise from their expression. 

 22* 



