We Philologists
Platanus Publishing
To what a great extent men are ruled by pure hazard and how little reason itself enters into the question is sufficiently shown by observing how few people have any real capacity for their professions and callings and how many square pegs there are in round holes happy and well chosen instances are quite exceptional like happy marriages and even these latter are not brought about by reason A man chooses his calling before he is fitted to exercise his faculty of choice He does not know the number of different callings and professions that exist he does not know himself and then he wastes his years of activity in this calling applies all his mind to it and becomes experienced and practical When afterwards his understanding has become fully developed it is generally too late to start something new for wisdom on earth has almost always had something of the weakness of old age and lack of vigour about it
