Life, 1884-04-17 · page 1 of 16
Life — April 17, 1884 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Two of a Kind" - Life Magazine, April 17, 1884 This cartoon satirizes two naval officers—depicted identically in dress uniforms with bowler hats—debating national character and liberty. The first claims his country is "the home of liberty" where citizens dress freely. The second counters that his country is also free, but never acquired "decent bags except in London." The joke plays on Victorian-era class anxieties: both nations pride themselves on freedom, yet both are apparently enslaved to British fashion standards—specifically London tailoring for men's clothing. The identical depiction emphasizes they're "two of a kind" despite their patriotic posturing. This satirizes how wealthy Western nations, despite ideological differences, share common snobbish dependence on British luxury goods and style, undercutting their claims of independence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME III. NEW YORK, APRIL 17, 1884. NUMBER 68, Entered at New York Post Office as Second-Class Mall Matter. sJAmiTcHet TWO OF A KIND. First Creature; WELL—Aw—yoU KNOW, I SUPPOSE, MY COUNTRY IS THE HOME OF : LIBERTY, AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING, BUT YOURS IS THE ONLY ONE WHERE THEY MAKE CLOTHES FIT TO WEAR. Second do.: WELL—Aw—you kNow, I sHOULD PUT IT JUST THE OTHER WAY, BY JOVE; MY COUNTRY IS FREE ENOUGH, BUT I NEVER GOT ANY DECENT BAGS EXCEPT IN Lonpon. : First do.: LONDON! AREN’T You AN ENGLISHMAN ? Second do.: No, -AREN’T you? Tableau! comicbooks.com