#foreseen

Men wiser and more learned than I have discerned in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern. These harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following upon another as wave follows upon wave, only one great fact with respect to which, since it is unique, there can be no generalizations; only one safe rule for the historian: that he should recognize in the development of human destinies the play of the contingent and the unforeseen. ↗

— H.A.L. Fisher

#destiny #europe #fate #harmony #history

War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes. ↗

— Thomas Paine

#certain #circumstances #end #human #human wisdom

But the Constitution was made not only for southern and northern states, but for states neither northern nor southern, namely, the western states, their coming in being foreseen and provided for. ↗

— William H. Seward

#coming #constitution #foreseen #made #namely

Pain and fear and hunger are effects of causes which can be foreseen and known: but sorrow is a debt which someone else makes for us. ↗

— Freya Stark

#debt #effects #else #fear #foreseen

A wise woman never yields by appointment. It should always be an unforeseen happiness. ↗

— Stendhal

#appointment #happiness #never #should #unforeseen