There is not a day but sin foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed on; and it will be so whilst we live in this world.
When an investigator has developed a formula which gives a complete representation of the phenomena within a certain range, he may be prone to satisfaction. Would it not be wiser if he should say 'Foiled again! I can find out no more about Nature along this line. '
We make choices but are constantly foiled by happenstance.
Wit must be foiled by wit: cut a diamond with a diamond.