The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow

The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow… When a disaster comes, the English instinct is to do what can be done first, and to postpone the feeling as long as possible. Hence they are splendid at emergencies… It acts promptly and feels slowly.

—E. M. Forster, Notes on the English Character