Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-06
ACCIDENTS AND TRIPLES.



William Sheppard writes in Novem-
her LipptNc0H: Some very wise men
hold that there is no such thing as an
accident and no such thing rs trifle-
that what looks 10 us as the merest
chance is inevitable and must have hap
pened as Il part Of the great foreor-
dained history Of the world and that
there is no great and no small in the
sight Of Him
Who sees with equal eye, as Lord of all,
hero perish or a sparrow fall.
Something of the same thought was
given expression by Michael Angelo. A
visitor at his studio marveled that he
should spend the whole day in adjust
ing some inllnitesimal bit of clay on Il
statue. "Gentlemen,' said Michael
Angelo, this may seem to YOU tritle,
but it is tritlcs that make perfect, and
perfection is no trife."
Nevertheless there is certain amount
of amusement and even information to
be gained in specializing on what might
have occurred but for some more or less
tritiing circumstances. "If the nose of
Cleopatra had been shorter" says Pas
cal, boldly, the whole face of the earth
would have been different" "A com
mon soldier" says Edmund Burke, "a
child, a girl nj the door of an inn, have
changed the face of fortune. and almost
Of nature A glass of wine too much
s said 10 have turned the course Of the
French history. The son and heir of
Louis Philippe always confined himself
to certain number of glasses, because
he knew that beyond that number he
was sure to get drunk. ON II certain
morning he forgot TO count the glasses,
and drank one more than usual Enter
ing his carriage he stumbled; the fright
ened horses ran away the young prince
leaped ont Of the carriage, struck his
head against the pavement, and was
killed. That extra glass Of wine over
threw The Orleans rale, condscatcd lie
property Of the family, and sent them
into exile.
Ii Mary Ind lived little longer, 81
Elizabeth had died little sooner, John
stuart Mill thinks, the reformation
would have been crushed IN hnEland.
II Napoleon had been well Mt the time
Of the battle Of Waterloo. flc result
have been different lis indispusitun,
50 some historians tell lis, made Ii i'm
possible for linn 10 10 in the saddle
With III discomfort, Nay, when Noah
was in the ark would moi The most trilling
error in steering have shipwrecked the
whole human race?
Il was chapter Of accidents that gave
10 spain for many generations the leader
ship in the New World and the cansc-
quent wealth which made her al one
period the most important of European
nations. Columbus, it will he rrmem-
bered, after applying in vain to a num-
Der Of other courts, dispatched his
brother Bartolommeo TO ask aid from
Henry VII. of England. Now, it
happened that BartulommeO fell into the
hands of pirates, and landed in Eng.
land so destitute that he was not pre-.
sentable at court. But by the time he
had earned a little money he was too
late; Columbus had had his memorable
interview with Isabella Of Spain. Even
that interview was the result of acct.
dent. If Jaun Perez de Mariana, the
queens confessor, had not happened 10
be passing by the door of the La Rabda
monastery at the very moment when the
weary mariner was asking aims there,
and if the reverend gentleman had not
possessed the penetration to be struck
by the noble lineaments of the ragged
and dusty beggar, Columbus might
never have been presented to the
queen. Therefore, if Bartolommeo
had reached London in time, or if
Columbus had moment earlier or
moment later in applying at the mon
astery door-indeed, if Columbus, like
many other great men, had been o. in
face and stature-the face of
the New World might have been en-
tirely different.