260 
BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 
which man is the highest earthly representative. In 
the communion of the Omnipotent with man, it is 
appropriately the sign of covenant, and the visible 
reminder of the fundamental truth of human history, 
that “in the image of God” was man created, the 
possessor of body, soul, and spirit. 
Considered historically and ethically, the rainbow 
holds the highest place among natural phenomena. It 
is the visible union of earth and heaven; it spans them 
both in an embrace so vast as to appear sufficient to 
make one for ever. It is the assurance to man that he 
shall run his allotted race in the enjoyment of seedtime 
and harvest, and summer and winter, without fear of 
the consuming flood which was once appointed for the 
destruction of his apostate predecessors. In this view 
it gives at least a hint of the triplicity of divine provi¬ 
dences ; for, in the re-peopling of the earth, three proge¬ 
nitors went forth of the ark; and the best summaries of 
ethnological research confirm the record that the existing 
families of men owe their origin to three distinct stocks, 
the types of which are still traceable. I can still apos¬ 
trophise the rainbow, though it long since faded from 
its glorious place in the heavens. I will accept the 
poetic doctrine for the sake of the real poetry there is in 
it, that the rainbow bears the blue heaven on its sweep¬ 
ing arch, and that it is the pathway on which minis¬ 
tering angels descend to man with messages of mercy. 
“ Still seem as to my childhood’s gaze, 
A midway station given; 
For happy spirits to alight, 
Betwixt the earth and heaven.” 
