And grasps the skirts of happy chance,
And breasts the blows of circumstance.

And grasps the skirts of happy chance,
And breasts the blows of circumstance.

Man is not the creature of circumstances,
Circumstances are the creatures of men.

Man is not the creature of circumstances,
Circumstances are the creatures of men.

Circumstances alter cases.

Circumstances alter cases.

So runs the round of life from hour to hour.

So runs the round of life from hour to hour.

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non read more

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non me rebus, subjungere conor.]

How comes it to pass, if they be only moved by chance and
accident, that such regular mutations and read more

How comes it to pass, if they be only moved by chance and
accident, that such regular mutations and generations should be
begotten by a fortuitous concourse of atoms.

Odd instances of strange coincidence.

Odd instances of strange coincidence.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

For these attacks do not contribute to make us frail but rather
show us to be what we are.

For these attacks do not contribute to make us frail but rather
show us to be what we are.