It supposes a somewhat continuous state, produced not usually by the direct agency of man, but by
natural causes, such as fire, flood, tempest, disease, etc, Disaster denotes literally ill-starred, and is
some unforeseen and distressing event which comes suddenly upon us, as if from hostile planet. Misfortune
is often due to no specific cause; it is simply the bad fortune of an individual; a link in the chain of events; an
evil independent of his own conduct, and not to be charged as a fault. Mischance and mishap are
misfortunes of a trivial nature, occurring usually to individuals. "A calamity is either public or private,
but more frequently the former; a disaster is rather particular than private; it affects things rather than
persons; journey, expedition, and military movements are often attended with disasters; misfortunes are
usually personal; they immediately affect the interests of the individual." Crabb.