The wrecks of slavery are fast growing a fungus crop of sentiment.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Howells warns that pity for slavery's victims can become shallow sentiment without action.
- In plain terms
- Feeling sorry for slavery can become useless pity.
- What can you take from it?
- Sympathy must lead to action not just feeling.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is your concern leading to change?
- What stops you from acting on beliefs?
Another view
It might dismiss genuine empathy as useless.
More from William Dean Howells
See how today's achievement is only tomorrow's confusion; See how possession always cheapens the thing that was precious.
Permalink to quote #6 The mortality of all inanimate things is terrible to me, but that of books most of all.
Permalink to quote #8 He who sleeps in continual noise is wakened by silence.
Permalink to quote #5
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