84 PHYSICAL SCIENCE BK. n 



returns not upon itself, nor yet lingers, since each 

 succeeding wave drives headlong that which went 

 before ; so the order of events is rolled on by the 

 eternal succession of fate, whose first law it is to 

 abide by its decrees. 



XXXVI 



1 FOR what is one to understand as meant by fate ? 

 I suppose it is the binding necessity of all events 

 and actions, a necessity that no force can break. If 

 you believe that such a power can be prevailed upon 

 to change through sacrifice or the head of a snow- 

 white lamb, you know little about the Divine dis- 



2 pensation. You say that even a wise man does 

 not change his mind : how much less is God a man 

 that he should change ? Even the wise man knows 

 what is best under present conditions ; to the Divine 

 wisdom everything is present. Still, I wish, for the 

 moment, to advocate the views of those who hold 

 that atonement should be made for lightning, and 

 who have no doubt that expiation is of avail, now 

 to remove dangers, now to mitigate them, now to 

 delay them. 



XXXVII 



i IN a little I will follow up what I have said and 

 show the consequences involved. Meantime we 

 have so much in common with the persons last 

 mentioned in holding that vows are of service, but 

 without prejudice to the power and sway of fate. 

 Some things are, in fact, left by the immortal gods in 

 such a state of suspense as to turn to the advantage 



