Quote
At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done—then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago.
Note
Burnett describes the stages of transformation: disbelief, hope, realization, and finally universal acceptance. This is both an external observation (how change happens in the world) and an internal one (how we individually come to accept new possibilities). It's a patient, hopeful view of progress—what seems impossible today becomes obvious tomorrow. The line encourages persistence in the face of doubt, trusting that time and effort will shift what feels "strange" into what feels natural.