Judge, 1921-10-01 · page 5 of 36
Judge — October 1, 1921 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The upper section presents "Let's Enjoy It!" — a poem by Richard Le Gallienne advocating accepting the world as it is rather than constantly seeking reform. The verse celebrates traditional natural beauty (sun, moon, stars, birds, flowers) and opposes progressive "amendments and up-to-date movements." The lower cartoon, titled "The Better Part of Valor," depicts medieval figures with a lance and appears to be a humorous take on chivalric romance tropes. The caption suggests ironic commentary on a "Paladin Simpkins" taking "the Dame Liza" to battle, with the joke playing on the phrase "the better part of valor is discretion" — likely mocking either overly romantic medieval fantasy or contemporary chivalric pretensions. Both elements reflect Judge magazine's conservative satirical stance against progressive reform movements popular in early 20th-century America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Let’s Enjoy It! I suppose it’s old-fashioned To get so impassioned Over things that so oft have been noticed before, To love things as they are, Old sun, moon, and star, And be glad of their beauty, and ask nothing more, To find the old world just as young as of yore: Not to seek to improve it, But merely to love it; Contented that April has nothing to bring But dogwood in bloom, And the violet’s perfume, And the same birds come back with the same songs to sing— Not a single changed note In each old-fashioned throat— And the same little nests and the same busy wing. And love just the same, Just the same good old game,— Quite contented am F to ask no improvements— Since the old world began With a maid and a man, In spite of amendments and up-to-date movements. Yes! A thousand times Yes!— The world as it is Is far from amiss, To “reform’’ would destroy it, Far better enjoy it! Richard Le Gallienne. THE BETTER PART OF VALOR “Why doth the Paladin Simpkins take ever with him the Dame Liza when he rideth to the fray?” “For the very canniest of reasons, sirrah. With her added weight behind his lance, he is invin- cible!” Lrawn by Ganoner Rea, comicbooks.com