The Natural History of Selborne 5 1 



On the Rainbow. 



" Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it ; very 

 beautiful is the brightness thereof." Eccles. xliii. u. 



On morning or on evening cloud impressed, 

 Bent in vast curve, the watery meteor shines 

 Delightfully, to tK levelVd sun opposed : 

 Lovely refraction ! while the vivid brede 

 In listed colours glows, th' unconscious swain 

 With vacant eye gases on the divine 

 Phenomenon, gleaming o'er the illumined fields, 

 Or runs to catch the treasures which it sheds. 



Not so the sage, inspired with pious awe; 

 He hails the federal arch ; * and looking up, 

 Adores that God, whose fingers form' d this bow 

 Magnificent, compassing heav'n about, 

 With a resplendent verge, " Thou madest the cloud, 



" Maker omnipotent, and thou the bow; 



11 And by that covenant graciously hast sworn 



" Never to drown the world again; t henceforth, 



11 Till time shall be no more, in ceaseless round, 



" Season shall follow season : day to night, 



" Summer to winter, harvest to seed time, 



" Heat shall to cold in regular array 



" Succeed." Heaven-taught, so sang the Hebrew bard. J 



A Harvest Scene* 



Wak'd by the gentle gleamings of the morn, 

 Soon glad, the reaper, provident of want, 

 "Hies cheerful- hear ted to the ripen'd field ; 

 Nor hastes alone; attendant by his side 



* Gen. ix. 12-17. f Gen. viii. 22. J Moses. 



