Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar was muscular, and he might have been good-looking when young, but the years had proven unkind.

Alas, it was a brief, shining moment, and the subsequent years proved unkind.

Unfortunately, events are proving most unkind.

OPHELIA My honour'd lord, you know right well you did; And, with them, words of so sweet breath composed As made the things more rich: their perfume lost, Take these again; for to the noble mind Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.

The Durham Challenge Cup which had been good to the club in previous seasons, proved unkind again as a 3v1 defeat at Spennymoor Town saw Synners exit the competition.

"I spent a number of years searching, but Fate proved unkind."

Their perfume lost, Take these again; for to the noble mind Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.

To his slumbers prove unkind:

Has Sally proved unkind.

Factors beyond his control have contributed to the broad popularity that carried him to a second term in last Tuesday's election, in a year that proved unkind to so many other Republicans.