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 The massive gates of circumstance
 Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
  And thus some seeming pettiest chance
read more 
 The massive gates of circumstance
 Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
  And thus some seeming pettiest chance
   Oft gives our life its after-tinge.
    The trifles of our daily lives,
     The common things, scarce worth recall,
      Whereof no visible trace survives,
       These are the mainsprings after all. 
 Thus we see, too, in the world that some persons assimilate only 
what is ugly and evil from the read more 
 Thus we see, too, in the world that some persons assimilate only 
what is ugly and evil from the same moral circumstances which 
supply good and beautiful results--the fragrance of celestial 
flowers--to the daily life of others. 
It is circumstances (difficulties) which show what men are.
It is circumstances (difficulties) which show what men are.
 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. 
 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. 
 Epicureans, that ascribed the origin and frame of the world not 
to the power of God, but to the read more 
 Epicureans, that ascribed the origin and frame of the world not 
to the power of God, but to the fortuitous concourse of atoms. 
 I am the very slave of circumstance
 And impulse--borne away with every breath.  
 I am the very slave of circumstance
 And impulse--borne away with every breath. 
 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.] 
 What the discordant harmony of circumstances would and could 
effect.
 [Lat., Quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors.]  
 What the discordant harmony of circumstances would and could 
effect.
 [Lat., Quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors.]