The happy combination of fortuitous circumstances.

The happy combination of fortuitous circumstances.

Man, without religion, is the creature of circumstances.

Man, without religion, is the creature of circumstances.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

Who does the best that circumstance allows,
Does well, acts nobly, angels could no more.

Who does the best that circumstance allows,
Does well, acts nobly, angels could no more.

By some fortuitous concourse of atoms.
[Lat., Fortuito quodam concursu atomorum.]

By some fortuitous concourse of atoms.
[Lat., Fortuito quodam concursu atomorum.]

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.

The massive gates of circumstance
Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
And thus some seeming pettiest chance
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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.

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 the creature of circumstances.

Man is the creature of circumstances.