208 



NATURE FOR ITS OWN SAKE 



The earth'* 

 shadow on 

 the tky. 



The arch 

 of the sky. 



notice the coming shadow which follows after. 

 I do not mean the darkening of the hills and 

 valleys and waters about us, but the shadow 

 on the sky the great earth shadow stealing up 

 toward the zenith from the east. As the light 

 passes down the vast incline and below the 

 western horizon, this shadow coming up from the 

 eastern horizon, moves slowly into its place. It 

 is not readily seen at first, but after a few obser- 

 vations the eye becomes more quick to note its 

 presence than the mind to conceive of its vast- 

 ness. It is in this shadow, drawing up and 

 over the sky like a thin veil, that one can 

 often see the suggested curve of the earth. 

 It is at times very obvious, but it never seems 

 so clear and pure as the curve of the blue 

 sky in the morning, because it is frequently 

 confused with lower shadows. Nothing, indeed, 

 can excel the marvellous sweep up and over of 

 the illuminated blue. The dawn-light mount- 

 ing the sky does not go beyond it, and the no- 

 blest spring of bridge or dome designed by man 

 looks strained beside it. It is drawn so perfect, 

 and it rests so serene in its perfection, that even 

 the arch of the rainbow seems almost like a 

 child's toy in comparison with it. 



It has already been suggested that a glimpse 



