Circumstances beyond my individual control.

Circumstances beyond my individual control.

The long arm of coincidence.

The long arm of coincidence.

Men's plans should be regulated by the circumstances, not
circumstances by the plans.
[Lat., Consilia res magis dant read more

Men's plans should be regulated by the circumstances, not
circumstances by the plans.
[Lat., Consilia res magis dant hominibus quam homines rebus.]

Men are the sport of circumstances, when
The circumstances seem the sport of men.

Men are the sport of circumstances, when
The circumstances seem the sport of men.

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.

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.

Accidental and fortuitous concourse of atoms.

Accidental and fortuitous concourse of atoms.

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

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

To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and
convenience of our lives.

To what fortuitous occurrence do we not owe every pleasure and
convenience of our lives.