Did not learned men, too, hold, till within the last twenty-five years, that a flying dragon was an impossible monster? And do we not now know that there are hundreds of them found fossil up and down the world? People call them Pterodactyles: but that is only because they are ashamed to call them flying dragons, after denying so long that flying dragons could exist.

Summary

This quote challenges the idea that knowledge and perceptions are fixed truths. It suggests that even learned individuals once believed that flying dragons were impossible, only to later discover fossil evidence of similar creatures known as Pterodactyles. The quote implies that sometimes, people hesitate to accept new information due to preconceived notions, and may even rename something out of embarrassment. It serves as a reminder to keep an open mind and question commonly held beliefs in the face of new evidence.

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