--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements…" description: "\"I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825 which resemble what I get out for this, from my own observations, but I cannot rely upon my ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg" --- # I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825… ![“I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825 which resemble what I get out for this, from my own observations, but I cannot rely upon my own.” quote by Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg) > “I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825 which resemble what I get out for this, from my own observations, but I cannot rely upon my own.” [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She doubts her own observations and seeks external verification for accuracy. **In simple terms:** She questions her own data and wants confirmation. Key Takeaway Seek peer review for scientific claims. Themes science observation self‑doubt Mood reflective inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - research - academic publishing - field studies Key Concepts epistemology validation Questions to Reflect On - How can you verify personal findings? - What sources can you trust for confirmation? A Different Perspective Reliance on self‑assessment can lead to error. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comets/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) ## Related quotes > [I have worn myself thin trying to find out about this comet, and I know very little now in the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-have-worn-myself-thin-trying-to-find-out-about-this-comet-and-i/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [ Thirteen states with a population less than that of New York State alone can prevent repeal \[of prohibition\] until Halley's comet returns. One might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/thirteen-states-with-a-population-less-than-that-of-new-york-state/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [One didn't issue instructions to comets. Grown children did what they had to do, and parents could only grit their teeth and watch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/one-didn-t-issue-instructions-to-comets-grown-children-did-what-they/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [By being seldom seen, I could not stir But like a comet I was wondered at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-being-seldom-seen-i-could-not-stir-but-like-a-comet-i-was-wondered/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Consider, I pray, whether you are not renouncing all shame and sincerity to advance such principles. Because a comet appears in a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/consider-i-pray-whether-you-are-not-renouncing-all-shame-and/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [What is there in places empty of matter? and Whence is it that the sun and planets gravitate toward one another without dense matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/what-is-there-in-places-empty-of-matter-and-whence-is-it-that-the-sun/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [“Comets are like cats: they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-levy/comets-are-like-cats-they-have-tails-and-they-do-precisely-what-they/) David H. Levy > [Bayle, when writing on "Comets," discovered this; for having collected many things applicable to his work, as they stood quoted in some modern writers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/bayle-when-writing-on-comets-discovered-this-for-having-collected/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [That beautiful sister of mine was an overwhelming and volatile mixture. One had the feeling that she'd been shot from a canon and showered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bennett/that-beautiful-sister-of-mine-was-an-overwhelming-and-volatile/) [Joan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bennett/) > [Once I got into space, I was feeling very comfortable in the universe. I felt like I had a right to be anywhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/once-i-got-into-space-i-was-feeling-very-comfortable-in-the-universe/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Human society is part of the general order, and the more our knowledge increases the less we are inclined to believe that the birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-alfred-lynch/human-society-is-part-of-the-general-order-and-the-more-our-knowledge/) [Arthur Alfred Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-alfred-lynch/) > [So that, were it the purpose of God to produce comets as signs of his wrath it would be true to say that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/so-that-were-it-the-purpose-of-god-to-produce-comets-as-signs-of-his/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [It is always wonderful to be a curious comet wandering in the galaxy of a good book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-is-always-wonderful-to-be-a-curious-comet-wandering-in-the-galaxy/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The star we're looking for isn't so very friendly," said Moomintroll. "Quite the contrary, in fact." "What did you say?" said Sniff. Moomintroll went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/the-star-we-re-looking-for-isn-t-so-very-friendly-said-moomintroll/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) ## More by Maria 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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/in-my-younger-days-when-i-was-painted-by-the-half-educated-loose-and/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [That knowledge which is popular is not scientific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/that-knowledge-which-is-popular-is-not-scientific/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [When we are chafed and fretted by small cares, a look at the stars will show us the littleness of our own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/when-we-are-chafed-and-fretted-by-small-cares-a-look-at-the-stars/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/there-is-no-cosmetic-for-beauty-like-happiness/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [There is something of the same pleasure in noticing the hues of the stars that there is in looking at a flower garden in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/there-is-something-of-the-same-pleasure-in-noticing-the-hues-of-the/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [I made observations for three hours last night, and am almost ill to-day from fatigue; still I have worked all day, trying to reduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-made-observations-for-three-hours-last-night-and-am-almost-ill-to/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [The world of learning is so broad, and the human soul is so limited in power! We reach forth and strain every nerve, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/the-world-of-learning-is-so-broad-and-the-human-soul-is-so-limited-in/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [The greatest benefit derived from the study of science is that it lifts you out of and above the littleness of daily trials. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/the-greatest-benefit-derived-from-the-study-of-science-is-that-it/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [“Truth or myth, it is only for me to know. Come with me into the rich texture of Bizco's kingdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/truth-or-myth-it-is-only-for-me-to-know-come-with-me-into-the-rich/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [The phrase ‘popular science’ has in itself a touch of absurdity. That knowledge which is popular is not scientific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/the-phrase-popular-science-has-in-itself-a-touch-of-absurdity-that/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [I had, early in life, a love for staging, but it is fast dying out. Nine hours over a rough road are enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-had-early-in-life-a-love-for-staging-but-it-is-fast-dying-out-nine/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [People have to learn sometimes not only how much the heart, but how much the head, can bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/people-have-to-learn-sometimes-not-only-how-much-the-heart-but-how/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [“I knew of no sadder picture in the history of science than that of the old man, Galileo, worn by a long life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-knew-of-no-sadder-picture-in-the-history-of-science-than-that-of/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [Besides learning to see, there is another art to be learned - not to see what is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/besides-learning-to-see-there-is-another-art-to-be-learned-not-to-see/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [An English village could never be mistaken for an American one: the outline against the sky differs; a thatched cottage makes a very wavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/an-english-village-could-never-be-mistaken-for-an-american-one-the/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) [Explore all 62 Maria Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) ## More Comets quotes > [“The star we're looking for isn't so very friendly," said Moomintroll. "Quite the contrary, in fact." "What did you say?" said Sniff. Moomintroll went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/the-star-we-re-looking-for-isn-t-so-very-friendly-said-moomintroll/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [It is always wonderful to be a curious comet wandering in the galaxy of a good book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-is-always-wonderful-to-be-a-curious-comet-wandering-in-the-galaxy/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [So that, were it the purpose of God to produce comets as signs of his wrath it would be true to say that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/so-that-were-it-the-purpose-of-god-to-produce-comets-as-signs-of-his/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [Human society is part of the general order, and the more our knowledge increases the less we are inclined to believe that the birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-alfred-lynch/human-society-is-part-of-the-general-order-and-the-more-our-knowledge/) [Arthur Alfred Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-alfred-lynch/) > [Once I got into space, I was feeling very comfortable in the universe. I felt like I had a right to be anywhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/once-i-got-into-space-i-was-feeling-very-comfortable-in-the-universe/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [That beautiful sister of mine was an overwhelming and volatile mixture. One had the feeling that she'd been shot from a canon and showered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bennett/that-beautiful-sister-of-mine-was-an-overwhelming-and-volatile/) [Joan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bennett/) > [Bayle, when writing on "Comets," discovered this; for having collected many things applicable to his work, as they stood quoted in some modern writers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/bayle-when-writing-on-comets-discovered-this-for-having-collected/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [“Comets are like cats: they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-levy/comets-are-like-cats-they-have-tails-and-they-do-precisely-what-they/) David H. Levy > [What is there in places empty of matter? and Whence is it that the sun and planets gravitate toward one another without dense matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/what-is-there-in-places-empty-of-matter-and-whence-is-it-that-the-sun/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Consider, I pray, whether you are not renouncing all shame and sincerity to advance such principles. Because a comet appears in a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayle/consider-i-pray-whether-you-are-not-renouncing-all-shame-and/) [Pierre Bayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayle/) > [By being seldom seen, I could not stir But like a comet I was wondered at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-being-seldom-seen-i-could-not-stir-but-like-a-comet-i-was-wondered/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One didn't issue instructions to comets. Grown children did what they had to do, and parents could only grit their teeth and watch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/one-didn-t-issue-instructions-to-comets-grown-children-did-what-they/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [ Thirteen states with a population less than that of New York State alone can prevent repeal \[of prohibition\] until Halley's comet returns. One might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/thirteen-states-with-a-population-less-than-that-of-new-york-state/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“But imagine,” said Mars, “being a comet. I want you to imagine a divine force in someone that pushes them through the world, infinitely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/but-imagine-said-mars-being-a-comet-i-want-you-to-imagine-a-divine/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) [Browse all 152 Comets quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comets/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825 which resemble what I get out for this, from my own observations, but I cannot rely upon my own.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maria Mitchell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of-a-comet-of-1825-which/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comets" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of-a-comet-of-1825-which/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84f/maria-mitchell-10880_comets_i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of_1901846.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I saw, in looking over Cooper, elements of a comet of 1825 which resemble what I get out for this, from my…” — Maria Mitchell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maria Mitchell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I saw, in looking over Cooper,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of-a-comet-of-1825-which/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-saw-in-looking-over-cooper-elements-of-a-comet-of-1825-which/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```