God sends fools fortune.
It is to this version of the Latin adage, Fortuna favet fatuis ("Fortune favours fools"), that Touchstone alludes in his reply to Jacques:—
"'No, sir,' quoth he;
'Call me not fool till Heaven hath sent me fortune.'"
The Spaniards express this popular belief by a striking figure: "The mother of God appears to fools."[223] The Germans say, "Fortune and women are fond of fools;"[224] and the converse of this holds good likewise, since "Fortune makes a fool of him whom she too much favours" (Latin);[225] and so do women sometimes. When we consider how much what is called success in life depends on getting into one of "the main grooves of human affairs," we can account for the common remark that blockheads thrive better in the world than clever people, and that "Jack gets on by his stupidity" (German).[226] It is all the difference of going by railway and walking over a ploughed field, whether you adopt common courses or set up one for yourself"—which is most likely to be done by people of superior abilities. "You will see * * * * most inferior persons highly placed in the army, in the church, in office, at the bar. They have somehow got upon the line, and have moved on well, with very little original motive powers of their own. Do not let this make you talk as if merit were utterly neglected in these or other professions—only that getting well into the groove will frequently do instead of any great excellence."[227] With this explanation we are prepared to admit that there is some reason in the Spanish adage, "God send you luck, my son, and little wit will serve your turn."[228]
It is better to be lucky than wise.
It is better to be born lucky than rich.
Hap and ha'penny is warld's gear eneuch.—Scotch.
"The lucky man's bitch litters pigs" (Spanish).[229]
Happy go lucky.
The happy [lucky] man canna be harried.—Scotch.
The lucky man cannot be ruined. Seeming disasters will often prove to be signal strokes of good fortune for him. Such a man will have cause to say, "The ox that tossed me threw me upon a good place" (Spanish).[230]
He is like a cat, he always falls on his feet.
Cast ye owre the house riggen, and ye'll fa' on your feet.—Scotch.
Give a man luck, and throw him into the sea.