Quote by Simon Newcomb
One hardly knows where, in the history of science, to look for an important movement that had its effective start in so pure and simple an accident as that which led to the building of the great Washington telescope, and went on to the discovery of the satellites of Mars.
Summary
This quote highlights the serendipitous nature of scientific discoveries. It suggests that the history of science rarely reveals instances where significant progress begins purely by random chance, like the construction of the Washington telescope. The quote also alludes to how this accidental event led to the discovery of Mars' satellites, emphasizing how one unexpected occurrence can spark a whole scientific movement.