208 
NATURE FOR ITS OWN SAKE 
The earth’s 
shadow on 
the sky. 
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 lke 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 
