Synopsis
Instances Of The Mutability Of Fortune by Alexander Bicknell presents a didactic collection of remarkable examples of how human fortunes rise and fall. Composed as a chronological anthology, it gathers 'Instances' from biblical, classical, and modern history to illustrate the constant flux of happiness and adversity. The Introduction argues that life on earth is subject to continual change, and that while piety and virtue do not always shield from misfortune, they provide support and solace when fortune turns prosperous or adverse. Each instance—Adam and Eve, Joseph, Job, Ruth, David, Esther, Nebuchadnezzar, Croesus, Themistocles, Cyrus, Mordecai and Esther, Mafaniello in Naples, Alfred, Cardinal Wolsey, Oliver Cromwell, Richard Cromwell—offers a narrative sketch, followed by moral observations on fortune's reversals. The book closes with longer exempla such as Mafaniello, illustrating popular upheavals and the volatility of leadership. Overall, the work blends narrative history with ethical reflection to teach resilience, humility, and prudence.
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