NEITHER SUNSET NOU SUNRISE. 83 



ing of an hour for which we have no name, since 

 it is neither sunset nor sunrise, but the blended 

 loveliness of both, and shining at the same mo- 

 ment in the heat and splendour of noonday on the 

 Pacific Isles. 



This was the midnight sun as I had dreamed it 

 as I had hoped to see it. Within fifteen minutes 

 after midnight there was a perceptible increase of 

 altitude, and in less than half an hour the whole 

 sky had changed the yellow brightening into 

 orange, and the saffron melting into the pale ver- 

 milion of dawn. Yet it was neither the colours 

 nor the same character of light as we had had half 

 an hour before midnight. The difference was so 

 slight as scarcely to be described ; but it was the 

 difference between evening and morning. The 

 faintest transfusion of one prevailing tint into 

 another had changed the whole expression of 

 heaven and earth, and so imperceptibly and mira- 

 culously that a new day was already present to 

 our consciousness. Our view of the wild cliffs 

 around, less than two hours before, belonged to 

 yesterday, though we had stood on deck, in full 

 sunshine, during all the intervening time. Let 

 those explain the phenomenon who can ; but I 

 found my physical senses utterly at war with those 

 mental perceptions wherewith they should harmo- 

 nise. The eye saw but one unending day; the 

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