Sentiments...

[fajrdrako]

Every man feels instinctively that all the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action. - James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (1819-1891)

At first this seemed a vague truism; and then I did a double-take. Is it a comment on the division of the sexes, that women value 'sentiments' in ways men do not? Is it saying that feelings are unimportant and not to be expressed, or that their value is not in the expression, or that the expression should be in actions, not words? What about comforting a frightened child by reassuring him - is that words, or action?

I suppose it depends on the circumstances, but the value of this quote - to my ears - is to remind me of the value of words. 'Beautiful sentiments' are important, and only the heartlesly pragmatic would skip them.