Only by renouncing our claim to discern a purpose immediately intelligible to us, and admitting the ultimate purpose to be beyond our ken, may we discern the sequence of experiences in the lives of historic characters and perceive the cause of the effect they produce (incommensurable with ordinary human capabilities), and then the words chance and genius become superfluous.
We need only confess that we do not know the purpose of the European convulsions and that we know only the facts- that is, the murders, first in France, then in Italy, in Africa, in Prussia, in Austria, in Spain, and in Russia- and that the movements from the west to the east and from the east to the west form the essence and purpose of these events, and not only shall we have no need to see exceptional ability and genius in Napoleon and Alexander, but we shall be unable to consider them to be anything but like other men, and we shall not be obliged to have recourse to chance for an explanation of those small events which made these people what they were, but it will be clear that all those small events were inevitable.
In another half-hour
chance had decided the question of "Go" or "Stay" for all alike.
The gale that was blowing was, he believed, the cause of the delay in getting the Kincaid under way, and if it continued to blow until night then the chances were all in his favour, for he knew that there was little likelihood of the ape-man attempting to navigate the tortuous channel of the Ugambi while darkness lay upon the surface of the water, hiding the many bars and the numerous small islands which are scattered over the expanse of the river's mouth.
Cruel, shifty eyes gloated upon the outlines of the coveted canoe, and measured the stature of its owner, while the crafty brain weighed the chances of the white man should physical encounter with the black become necessary.
Even if these take place only at long intervals, I am convinced that the young thus produced will gain so much in vigour and fertility over the offspring from long-continued self-fertilisation, that they will have a better
chance of surviving and propagating their kind; and thus, in the long run, the influence of intercrosses, even at rare intervals, will be great.
Franklin left no
chance untried of winning Miss Rachel's good graces.
But now that Lady Greystoke had disappeared, though he still looked toward the east for hope, his
chances were lessened, and another, subsidiary design completely dashed.
Couldn't he have waited for the good season to increase his
chances?"
He's got intelligence and we've got to give that intelligence a
chance. Put up the gun."
It is the
chance of recovering the lost date of Laura's journey to London.
Why, he stood as much
chance of getting a job in Packingtown as of being chosen mayor of Chicago.
It is a dreary, fever-stricken place, and all beyond our little clearings was infested with wild cannibal natives, who were ready enough to blow a poisoned dart at us if they saw a
chance. There was digging, and ditching, and yam- planting, and a dozen other things to be done, so we were busy enough al day; though in the evening we had a little time to ourselves.
He has hardly had time to throw away that
chance you gave him before this letter comes, and puts the ball at his foot for the second time.
In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of
chances; fifthly, Victory.
