I have just gone over my comet computations again, and it is humiliating to perceive how very little more I know than I did seven years ago when I first did this kind of work.
Maria MitchellRead
The best that can be said of my life so far is that it has been industrious, and the best that can be said of me is that I have not pretended to what I was not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the importance of hard work and authenticity in one's life.
Maria Mitchell emphasizes the value of a diligent life and the importance of being true to oneself. She suggests that the measure of a life well-lived lies not only in productivity but also in the honesty of one’s character, promoting authenticity as a core principle.
Themes
AuthenticityIndustriousHonestyLifeSelf
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech, one could quote this to inspire new graduates about the importance of hard work and being true to themselves.
More from Maria Mitchell
All quotes →To read a book, to think it over, and to write out notes is a useful exercise; a book which will not repay some hard thought is not worth publishing.
Maria MitchellRead
There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness.
Maria MitchellRead
Study as if you were going to live forever; live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Maria MitchellRead
I am just learning to notice the different colors of the stars, and already begin to have a new enjoyment.
Maria MitchellRead
We travel to learn; and I have never been in any country where they did not do something better than we do it, think some thoughts better than we think, catch some inspiration from heights above our own.
Maria MitchellRead
Similar quotes
Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on.
Alice MillerRead
Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.
Mother TeresaRead
In old age, you realise that while you're divided from your youth by decades, you can close your eyes and summon it at will. As a writer it puts one at a distinct advantage.
Penelope LivelyRead
People praise you for what they suppose is in you; but you must blame your soul for what you know is in it.
Ibn Ata AllahRead
An old man was asked what had robbed him of joy in his life. His reply was, "Things that never happened."
Dale CarnegieRead
Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations,you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.
Dalai LamaRead