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.

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.

Condition, circumstance, is not the thing;
Bliss is the same in subject or in king.

Condition, circumstance, is not the thing;
Bliss is the same in subject or in king.

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.

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.

This fearful concatenation of circumstances.

This fearful concatenation of circumstances.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

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.

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.