Quotes by Maria Mitchell

“We especially need imagination in science. It is not all logic, nor all mathematics, but is somewhat beauty and poetry.””

“We have a hunger of the mindWhich asks for knowledge all around usAnd the more we gain, the more is our desire.””

“The phrase ‘popular science’ has in itself a touch of absurdity. That knowledge which is popular is not scientific.””

“The way you might fear a cow sitting down in the middle of the street during rush hour, that’s how I fear Canadians. To Canadians, everyone is equal. Joni Mitchell is interchangeable with a secretary at open-mic night. Frank Gehry is no greater than a hack pumping out McMansions on AutoCAD. John Candy is no funnier than Uncle Lou when he gets a couple of beers in him. No wonder the only Canadians anyone’s ever heard of are the ones who have gotten the hell out. Anyone with talent who stayed would be flattened under an avalanche of equality. The thing Canadians don’t understand is that some people are extraordinary and should be treated as such.””

“And surely of all the stars that perishedlong ago,one still exists. I think that I know which one it is--which one, at the end of its beam in the sky,stands like a white city . . .””

“I hope he really cried, for a weakness is better than an affectation of weakness. He said, “The unbeliever is already condemned.” It seems to me that if anything would make me an infidel, it would be the threats lavished against unbelief.””

“Along the sun-drenched roadside, from the greathollow half-treetrunk, which for generationshas been a trough, renewing in itselfan inch or two of rain, I satisfymy thirst: taking the water's pristine coolnessinto my whole body through my wrists.Drinking would be too powerful, too clear;but this unhurried gesture of restraintfills my whole consciousness with shining water.Thus, if you came, I could be satisfiedto let my hand rest lightly, for a moment,lightly, upon your shoulder or your breast.- Along The Sun-Drenched Roadside, Translated by Stephen Mitchell””

“In my younger days, when I was painted by the half-educated, loose and inaccurate ways women had, I used to say, "How much women need exact science" But since I have known some workers in science, I have now said, "How much science needs women.””

“Truth or myth, it is only for me to know. Come with me into the rich texture of Bizco's kingdom.””

“Maria Mitchell, ... - having long considered Galileo "not a mere observer and discoverer, but a philosopher," she sees not only the tragedy of his truth but also its triumph: “I knew of no sadder picture in the history of science than that of the old man, Galileo, worn by a long life of scientific research, weak and feeble, trembling before that tribunal whose frown was torture, and declaring that to be false which he knew to be true. And I know of no picture in the history of religion more weakly pitiable than that of the Holy Church trembling before Galileo, and denouncing him because he found in the Book of Nature truths not stated in their own Book of God-forgetting that the Book of Nature is also the Book of God. It seems to be difficult for anyone to take in the idea that two truths cannot conflict.””

“From: Bernadette Fox To: Manjula Kapoor Oh! Could you make dinner reservations for us on Thanksgiving? You can call up the Washington Athletic Club and get us something for 7 PM for three. You are able to place calls, aren’t you? Of course, what am I thinking? That’s all you people do now. I recognize it’s slightly odd to ask you to call from India to make a reservation for a place I can see out my window, but here’s the thing: there’s always this one guy who answers the phone, “Washington Athletic Club, how may I direct your call?” And he always says it in this friendly, flat… Canadian way. One of the main reasons I don’t like leaving the house is because I might find myself face-to-face with a Canadian. Seattle is crawling with them. You probably think, U.S./Canada, they’re interchangeable because they’re both filled with English-speaking, morbidly obese white people. Well, Manjula, you couldn’t be more mistaken. Americans are pushy, obnoxious, neurotic, crass”

“Mingle the starlight with your lives and you won’t be fretted by trifles””

“Do not look at stars as bright spots only. Try totake in the vastness of the universe.”

“What invigorated Maria Mitchell that evening, and what would drive her for the remaining decades of her life, was not the king’s medal, nor the luster of worldwide recognition, but the sheer thrill of discovery”