, 1884-08-28
ROMANCE OF CHANCE.
Some Very Interesting Citations
from History.
Discoveries and Inventions Suggested
by the Most Trivial Incl
dents and Acct
dents.


II has been remarked by various writers as
somewhat singular that the curiosities Of
chance have never suggested themselves 10
any writer enticingly enough to give the
world a book under that title. That such a
book would prove a romance Of interest no
one who reads can doubt, for how many
great concerns have been sbegun or ended,
how many momentous battles won and lost,
how many things great and little done and
undone, by chance happenings in themselves
nothingf IL has been said that there never
was an Individual born whose whole career
did not hinge upon a chance or accident,
Whether or not an assertion 80 broad and
sweeping be true, it is "A fact that the history
Of men who have stood in the foremost ranks
Is rich with instances Of the effect Of happy
chance or accident
Thus, Wallenstein, the magnificent, the
great captain. who never lost a battle, was
until the age Of manhood little better than an
IDIOT, until n chance fall down Il stone stair.
case injured his head, but cleared his clouded
Intellect. Mnhillon was "A mere IDIOT until "A
similar happy chance fall restored him 20
reason The golden genius Of Charles Dick
ems might have remained unsupported but
for chance. Dickens in early life was Guam
ored Of the stage. After many attempts, he
succeeded in gaining a promise from the
manager Of the Covent Garden theatre to
accord his histrionic powers II private hear
ing.
A chance exposure 10 IA rainstorm brought
ON cold which prevented Dickens from
keeping his engagement, and thus the stage
lost an aspiring actor, while literature gained
"A king. Thorwaldsen, the great Danish
sculptor, after working for months unrecog-
nized in Rome, determined, in despair, 70 re-
turn home and lay down the sculptor's chisel
forever. A chance error by n careless clerk
In dra wing his passport detained him twenty
four hours. During that interval Of whiting
Mr.. Hope walked into his studio, admired his
Jason in clay, and aroused the respondent
Danes hope by ordering a copy in marble.
Thorwaldsen unpacked his boxes, and never
afterward in his long career lacked patron
age. Rachel, the great tragedienne,
was, when IA child, u street singer,
and az such might have passed into
womanhooi and old age had not a party Of
critics dining together CHANGED TO hear her
loud, clear voice beneath their windows
They observed the child's wonderful face and
ewes, and in a kindly spirit, aroused no doubt
by the wine they had drunk, proposed TO her
protectors 10 place her in the conservatory
as a pupil. Sir Walter Raleigh would prob
nblv have remained out Of favor with the
court had Elizabeth, ON her walk to the tower,
CHANGED 10 take n path less muddy Every
reader Of history knows the story, how the
gallant Sir Walter spread his ioak beneath
the royal feet, and was rewarded with his
sovereign's smile and speedy restoration to
favor. Potomkin, tho favorite of Catharino
II. and the founder of the powerful Russian
family which bears his name, would doubtless
have remained an obscure soldier had not a
trivial incident, a chance, in fact, changed
his destiny.
After Catharine had deposed her weak
husband and herself assumed the scepter, she
wns accustomed 10 parade the streets OF st.
Petersburg at the head Of her troops. One
day Potemkin noticed her sword bore no
Knot. He boldly stepped forward, Drawing
the knout for his insubordination. and offered
his. The czarinn accepted It, and, struck by
the handsome young lieutenant, asked his
name and regiment and II he would not like
TO serve her In the palace. Hall Pasha, tho
sultan's chief of artillery and most trusted
adviser, was a timer. Employed in the pal
ace, he offered to mend a valuable French
clock, ms no clockmaker was available, and
did the work 20 well tho sultan babe him lay
aside tho tinnsr's furnace and serve
him. Sir Robert Wilson, one Of
England's best generals, owed his Gle
walton from Il desk in IA solicitors office to
a chance meeting with the duke Of York in
the rain. OF Benjamin Disraeli there was a
story current years ago to provo the building
Of his greatness was helped along by chance.
In his youth he was a reckless spendthrift.
His ambition was to lead his party, but such
was the state Of his finances that at one time
II was doubtful whether he could longer sup
port the expense Of a seat In parliament. Ac-
cident or chance threw him in the way Of n
noted money-lender in London, who liked
the brilliant young dandy on first sight, and
did whnt he had never done before nor after
wnrdt to any man. lent Disraeli 2, 200 pounds on
mother security than his geniusandambition.
Disraeli never forgot the service, and never
tired, so the story goes, OF returning 1t in the
various ways which his after influence en-
abled him to do.
George Stephenson, the inventor OF the To-
comot.ye, was born with "A taste for me
chauics. His parents were too wretchedly
poor 20 give him the advantages Of educa-
ton At II very tender age he wns compelled
To work as a pit boy at two-pence n day, to
help support the family. Deep in the mines,
shut out from everything that checred the
senses, young stephenson found much to
stimulate his mechanical bent. He mastered
the hoisting machinery, and longed to be al
lowed charge OF 1t. One day the engineer
CHANGED so stumble and injure himself.
Young Stephenson promptly offered To supply
hts place, and proved his skill so well that the
mine superintendent gave him permanent
charge Of the machinery, andfhus gave him
an opportunity to observe and think and
build, until the Rocket appeared asa result Of
his lalor. Stephenson was accustomed 10
call his application of steam a discovery.
II Is a / notable fact that some OF the great
est discoveries have been made by chance.
Millions of men probably had seen nm apple
fall from the tree before one CHANGED to drop
10 the ear,h under the eyes Of Newton. His
mind was curious enough to see the cause Of
the trivial Incident, and acute enough, hay
ing found that. to follow It up until the prin-
ciple Of that attraction Of gravitatiOn was
clear 10 him, or all the thousands who
every day glanced at the swinging lamps sus-
pended from the roof Of the cathedral Of
Pisa. not one saw any principle involved in
their regular motion until Calico, searching
for a means TO regulate the movements of a
clock, CHANGED 10 behold them, and instantly
hit upon the idea Of the pendulum.
Shrewd minds ever turn accidents 10 ac-
count Thu M~ontgolher, the father Of aero
nauts, CHANGED TO sec a piece Of paper placed
on the top Of IA coffee pot swell and rise rs
the steam distended il, and conceived the
idea OF the balloon
Schanward, "a Nuremburg glass-cutter,
CHANGED TO spill a drop OF aquafortis on his
spectaclcs Attempting some time afterward
to wipe it of, he found that it had corroied
end the idea Of etching ON glass daweSa on
him The chance lack Of pon and ink 10 a
lazy author CAUSED him to jot down