Life, 1883-02-01 · page 5 of 16
Life — February 1, 1883 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "So Thoughtful!" - Life Magazine Cartoon Analysis This cartoon satirizes upper-class social pretense. A well-dressed woman, seated and fanning herself, has asked a male servant (likely a Dodgett) for water instead of supper—supposedly out of consideration for his labor. The joke mocks her false thoughtfulness: she presents herself as considerate while making an unusual, arguably inconsiderate request that disrupts normal service. The gathered guests in the background suggest this is performative kindness displayed for social approval rather than genuine concern. The satire targets Victorian-era affectation—the performance of virtue and refinement among the wealthy as a status display. The cartoon implies that truly thoughtful people wouldn't make such peculiar demands masquerading as selflessness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
thf I I \\ | SO THOUGHTFUL! She: I WONT TROUBLE YOU TO BRING ME ANY SUPPER (And we all know how easy that is.) » MR, DODGETT; JUST BRING ME A GLASS OF WATER, PLEASE. . BAIRD, of the Smithsonian Institution, has eral Spinner at Jacksonville, Fla., that he is thinking of sending the Fish Hawk to St. John’s la., this winter, to try the experiment of hatching shad there.—F xchange. The hatching of shad by Fish Hawks, is, we suppose, what some politicians might term, “anew departure” in Pisciculture—but, then, this is an age of surprises! Should the Professor's experiment prove successful, the time may not be very far distant when we may expect even greater results from this theory of crossing the species—such, for instance, as hatching colts from horse mackerel or the breeding of southdown mutton from sheepshead. Pass along the seven-league boots of science, and (speaking after the manner of some news- paper men) “give the Professor a show.” He desérves it. A New beverage of great healing power is now vend- ed under the style and title of “Serkyss Tea.” If it is not much more potent than circus lemonade it is not likely to do harm. ADVICE to profane ‘men.—Swear off. Miss or Mrs. Mary Pryor Hack hast just put forth a book entitled “Self-Surrender.” If Miss or Mrs. Mary Pryor Hack were a Western poetess or edi- tress instead of an Englishwoman we should surmise that she had been giving a a mule. “Tue House that Jill Built” is the alluring title of a recent truly rural and truly architectural romance. Our own impression is that Jill built a house with thirteen closets, eleven cupboards, five stationary wash tubs, seventeen mirrors—and no stairs. Tue Rev. J. B. Gross has written a book called “What Makes us Unhappy?” If Mr. Gross were a gro- cer, it might be because he forgot to sand the sugar. As he seems to be a clergyman, it is perhaps because so many deacons are leaving for parts unknown with the money of the heathen. “TimotHy "is the name of a new novel just pub- lished in Philadelphia. The fairauthoress not know- ing where to go fora title, has gone to grass. comicbooks.com "