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When Science from Creation’s face Enchantment’s veil withdraws, What lovely visions yield their place, To cold material laws! And yet, fair bow, no fabling beams, But words of the Most High, Have told why first thy robe of beams Was woven in the sky. When o’er the green undeluged earth, Heaven’s covenant thou didst shine, How came the world’s grey fathers forth, To watch thy sacred sign! And when the yellow lustre smiled O’er mountains yet untrod, Each mother held aloft her child, To bless the bow of God. Methinks, thy jubilee to keep, The first-made anthem rang On earth delivered from the deep, And the first poet sang. Nor ever shall the Muse’s eye, Unraptured greet thy beam: Theme of primeval prophecy, Be still the poet’s theme!

When Science from Creation’s face Enchantment’s veil withdraws, What lovely visions yield their place, To cold material laws! And yet, fair bow, no fabling beams, But words of the Most High, Have told why first thy robe of beams Was woven in the sky. When o’er the green undeluged earth, Heaven’s covenant thou didst shine, How came the world’s grey fathers forth, To watch thy sacred sign! And when the yellow lustre smiled O’er mountains yet untrod, Each mother held aloft her child, To bless the bow of God. Methinks, thy jubilee to keep, The first-made anthem rang On earth delivered from the deep, And the first poet sang. Nor ever shall the Muse’s eye, Unraptured greet thy beam: Theme of primeval prophecy, Be still the poet’s theme!
Campbell (identity unresolved)

In print by 1888 AD · industrial

Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.

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Attribution & collection notes
Author or tradition
Campbell (identity unresolved)
Attribution: unknown
Country attributed
Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.
Historical period
In print by 1888 AD · industrial
In print by 1888: recorded in A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken.
Recorded source
A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888) (1888 AD)

Page 153 · printed citation: Campbell · subject: COVENANT—RAINBOW

A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.