The Natural History of Selborne 49 1 



On the Rainbow. 



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

 is the brightness thereof." Eccles. xliii. n. 



On morning or on evening cloud impressed, 

 Bent in vast curve, the watery meteor shines 

 Delightfully, to th' leveWd sun opposed: 

 Lovely refraction! while the vivid brede 

 In listed colours glows, th 1 unconscious swain 

 With vacant eye gazes on the divine 

 Phenomenon, gleaming o'er the illumined f elds, 

 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 fngers form'd this bow 

 Magnijicent, compassing heavn about, 

 With a resplendent verge, " Thou madest the cloua, 



" Maker omnipotent, and thou the bow ; 



" And by that covenant graciously hast sworn 



" Never to drown the world again yt henceforth, 



" 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. \ 



A Harvest Scene. 



Wak'd by the gentle gleamings of the morn, 

 Soon glad, the reaper, provident of want, 

 Hies cheerful-hearted to the ripen 1 d f eld ; 

 Nor hastes alone; attendant by his side 



* Gen. ix. 12-17. t Gen. viii. 22. t Moses. 



