Sir, my circumstances,
Being so near the truth as I will make them,
Must first induce you read more

Sir, my circumstances,
Being so near the truth as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe; whose strength
I will confirm with oath, which I doubt not
You'll give me leave to spare when you shall find
You need it not.

Circumstances alter cases.

Circumstances alter cases.

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.

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.

The happy combination of fortuitous circumstances.

The happy combination of fortuitous circumstances.

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.

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.

Accidental and fortuitous concourse of atoms.

Accidental and fortuitous concourse of atoms.