Back to original concept:

I had a physics/chemistry teacher say, La science progresse d'erreur en erreur [science advances from mistake to mistake] and I distinctly remember him claiming to be quoting, or paraphrasing, someone, but I have never been able to locate the original.

So maybe he came up with it. Still one of the best descriptions of the scientific method I've heard. That would have been in 197...7? 8?

If any reader knows the original, I would love to know who said it.