lined to lust. But the
indication of an appropriate characteristic is something which never
happens in any other way, and which declares something which is
certain as smoke is a proof of fire. Probabilities are discovered
from the parts and, as it were, members of a narration. They exist in
persons, in places, in times, in facts, in events, in the nature of
the facts and circumstances which may be under discussion.

But in persons, the first things considered are the natural qualities
of health, figure, strength, age, and whether they are male or female.
And all these concern the body alone. But the qualities of the mind,
or how they are affected, depends on virtues, vices, arts, and want of
art, or in another sense, on desire, fear, pleasure, or annoyance. And
these are the natural circumstances which are principally considered.

In fortune, we look at a man's race, his friends, his children, his
relations, his kinsmen, his wealth, his honours, his power, his
estates, his freedom, and also at all the contraries to these
circumstances. But in respect of place, some things arise from nature
as, whether a place is on the coast or at a distance from the sea,
whether it is level or mountainous, whether it is smooth or rough,
wholesome or pestilential, shady or sunny, these again are fortuitous
circumstances,--whether a place is cultivated or uncultivated
frequented or deserted, full of houses or naked, obscure or ennobled
by the traces of mighty exploits, consecrated or profane.

XI. But in respect of time, one distinguishes between the present, and
the past, and the future. And in these divisions there are the further
subdivisions of ancient, recent, immediate, likely to happen soon,
or likely to be very remote. In time there are also these other
divisions, which mark, as it were natural sections of time as winter,
spring, summer and autumn. Or again, the periods of the year: as
a month, a day, a night, an hour, a season, all these are natural
divisions. There are other accidental divisions such as days of
sacrifice, days of festival, weddings. Again, facts and events are
either designed or unintentional, and these last arise either from
pure accident, or from some agitation of mind, by accident when a
thing has happened in a different way from what was expected,--from
some agitation, when either forgetfulness, or mistake, or fear, or
some impulse of desire has been the acting cause. Necessity, too, must
be classed amon