Life, 1885-04-30 · page 6 of 16
Life — April 30, 1885 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 244 **The Cartoon:** The illustration labeled "STREET SCENE IN PARIS" (credited to a French paper) depicts a chaotic street scene with figures and a horse-drawn carriage. Without clearer detail, the specific satirical target is unclear, though it likely comments on Parisian urban life or social disorder of the period. **The Text Content:** This page primarily contains literary commentary rather than political satire. It discusses Washington D.C. novels, particularly critiquing how marital infidelity has become a tired trope in Washington fiction. The text contrasts Southern and Northern character depictions in these novels and reviews a biography of "Nathaniel Parker Willis" by Professor Beers of Yale College, noting Willis's forgotten literary legacy. The satire here targets literary conventions rather than political figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
STREET SCENE IN PARIS. (From a French papers) ENGLISH, YOU KNOW. LONDON contemporary states that if the royal visit to Ireland turns out a success, there is a strong probability that Lord Lorne will succeed Lord Spencer as Lord Lieutenant. Lord! . * * 6¢ "THE QUEEN,” it is said, “ always sleeps in a wooden | bed of a particular shape and made in a special way, and whenever her Majesty goes to a strange place a bed and its furniture are despatched from Windsor for her use.” Just think of it! In addition to her bandboxes, spring- bonnet caskets, shawls, foot-warmers and pug dogs, this Royal Crank always takes up her bed when she walks. We do not wonder that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, . * e N English clergyman has just prepared a revised version of the Litany, the one in use not being comprehensive enough. He prays for the Royal Family, bishops, priests and deacons, and “ editors of newspapers.” The omission of skating rinkulators tends to the belief that this ever-rolling sport is not so popular in England as in America. . * ONCERNING the English naval estimates, Mr. Labou- chere says: ‘“ There are some strange and scandalous items. Considering that we have been building iron ships for the last twenty years, it is preposterous that there be a ‘ visiting timber inspector ’ with £600 a year; and why should there be a ‘consulting mining engineer’ at £550 a year, and a ‘viewer of coal in South Wales’ at the same salary ? The celebrated editor of 7ruth is evidently not acquainted with the intensely American methods which the English naval authorities seem to have employed. If the gentleman desires we will gladly give him letters of introduction to Messrs. Secor Robeson, John Roach and the lamented Tallapoosa Chandler, by whom his clouded naval ideas may be quickly made clear. All these profligate items demand an explanation.” | ANOTHER WASHINGTON NOVEL. VER since the success of the novel “ Democracy * Washington society has been a favorite theme for writers of fiction. It is noticeable in nearly all these stories that the love of one man for another man’s wife is the popular form of amusement, and, indeed, the most interesting feature in Washington life. It is another of the evil effects of the spoils system—that the man who can win a woman's heart has | aright to her, regardless of the matrimonial tenure-of-office | act, which prescribes a life term. | In the most recent Washington novel, “ Across the Chasm,” we are only given glimpses of a married flirt. But we are initiated into such horrid forms of crime as the use of printed instead of engraved visiting cards, the wearing of long hair, shiny broadcloth, wide-brimmed hats, and other native Southern vices. . . Y way of contrast, the Northern virtues are glowingly depicted—well-trimmed hair carefully parted in the middle, neatly fitting coats, well-modulated voices, dog carts, and the perfect art of politely snubbing your inferiors and working your superiors for dinner invitations. Of course, between the representative of Southern vices, on the one hand, and Northern virtues, on the other, it does | not take the very enlightened heroine of the book long to . | choose. The man with the long hair and printed visiting card is sent to South America to seck his fortune; the well- dressed prig who represents the North is favored with the heroine's heart and hand. This story will never do, under the new administration. As the 7ridune puts it, the rebel yell is now heard in the streets of the capital, and the ideal of manhood is the Southern Brigadier. (Scribners.) ROFESSOR BEERS, of Yale College, has made a very entertaining book of his biography of thaniel Parker Willis,” in theAmerican Men of Letters Series. Willis was one of the most conspicuous writers of the past genera- tion, and the literature of that day is full of allusions to him ; his own writings were, in a great measure, autobiographical, and his abundant letters, and journals have been placed at the disposal of his biographer. From this great mass of material a judicious selection has been made. The portraiture reveals a brilliant, versatile man, who started out with high hopes and the prospect of achieving them—but who turned aside to win the applause of the hour, | He got his reward—but sold his birthright for a mess of | pottage. : Of the two score books which he produced, all seem to be forgotten except his poems, which even now have a small but steady sale. The romantic dreams of his young manhood are remembered while the shallow, worldly wisdom of his later years is forgotten. (Houghton, Mifflin & Co.) comicbooks.com