HERE she made an end and was for turning the course of her speaking to the handling and explaining of other subjects.Then said I：
'Your encouragement is right and most worthy in truth of your name and weight.But I am learning by experience what you just now said of Providence；that the question is bound up in others.I would ask you whether you think that Chance exists at all， and what you think it is？'
Then she answered： ' I am eager to fulfil my promised debt， and to shew you the path by which you may seek your home.But these things， though all-expedient for knowledge， are none the less rather apart from our path， and we must be careful lest you become wearied by our turnings aside， and so be not strong enough to complete the straight journey.'
'Have no fear at all thereof，' said I.' It will be restful to know these things in which I have so great a pleasure； and when every view of your reasoning has stood firm with unshaken credit， so let there be no doubt of what shall follow.'
'I will do your pleasure，' she made answer， and thus she began to speak： Page 141'If chance is defined as an outcome of random influence， produced by no sequence of causes， I am sure that there is no such thing as chance， and I consider that it is but an empty word， beyond shewing the meaning of the matter which we have in hand.For what place can be left for anything happening at random， so long as God controls everything in order？ It is a true saying that nothing can come out of nothing.None of the old philosophers has denied that， though they did not apply it to the effective principle， but to the matter operated upon -- that is to say， to nature； and this was the foundation upon which they built all their reasoning.If anything arises from no causes， it will appear to have risen out of nothing.But if this is impossible， then chance also cannot be anything of that sort， which is stated in the definition which we mentioned.'
'Then is there nothing which can be justly called chance， nor anything "by chance"？ ' I asked.' Or is there anything which common people know not， but which those words do suit？ '
'My philosopher， Aristotle， defined it in his Physics 1 shortly and well-nigh truly.'
'How？ ' I asked.
'Whenever anything is done with one intention， but something else， other than was intended， results from certain causes， that is called chance： as， for instance， if a man digs 141：1 -- Aristotle， Physics ， ii.3.Page 142the ground for the sake of cultivating it， and finds a heap of buried gold.Such a thing is believed to have happened by chance， but it does not come from nothing， for it has its own causes， whose unforeseen and unexpected coincidence seem to have brought about a chance.For if the cultivator did not dig the ground， if the owner had not buried his money， the gold would not have been found.These are the causes of the chance piece of good fortune， which comes about from the causes which meet it， and move along with it， not from the intention of the actor.For neither the burier nor the tiller intended that the gold should be found； but， as I said， it was a coincidence， and it happened that the one dug up what the other buried.We may therefore define chance as an unexpected result from the coincidence of certain causes in matters where there was another purpose.The order of the universe， advancing with its inevitable sequences， brings about this coincidence of causes.This order itself emanates from its source， which is Providence， and disposes all things in their proper time and place.
'In the land where the Parthian， as he turns in flight， shoots his arrows into the pursuer's breast， from the rocks of the crag of Ach憁enia， the Tigris and Euphrates flow from out one source， but quickly with divided streams are separate.If they should come together and again be joined in a single course， all， that Page 143the two streams bear along， would flow in one together.Boats would meet boats， and trees meet trees torn up by the currents， and the mingled waters would together entwine their streams by chance； but their sloping beds restrain these chances vague， and the downward order of the falling torrent guides their courses.Thus does chance， which seems to rush onward without rein， bear the bit， and take its way by rule.'
'I have listened to you，' I said，' and agree that it is as you say.But in this close sequence of causes， is there any freedom for our judgment or does this chain of fate bind the very feelings of our minds too？'
'There is free will，' she answered.'Nor could there be any reasoning nature without freedom of judgment.For any being that can use its reason by nature， has a power of judgment by which it can without further aid decide each point， and so distinguish between objects to be desired and objects to be shunned.Each therefore seeks what it deems desirable， and flies from what it considers should be shunned.Wherefore all who have reason have also freedom of desiring and refusing in themselves.But Ido not lay down that this is equal in all beings.Heavenly and divine beings have with them a judgment of great insight， an imperturbable will， and a power which can effect their desires.But human Page 144spirits must be more free when they keep themselves safe in the contemplation of the mind of God； but less free when they sink into bodies， and less still when they are bound by their earthly members.The last stage is mere slavery， when the spirit is given over to vices and has fallen away from the possession of its reason.For when the mind turns its eyes from the light of truth on high to lower darkness， soon they are dimmed by the clouds of ignorance， and become turbid through ruinous passions； by yielding to these passions and consenting to them， men increase the slavery which they have brought upon themselves， and their true liberty is lost in captivity.
