Life, 1887-07-14 · page 10 of 16
Life — July 14, 1887 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 24 This page contains three distinct pieces of Victorian-era humor: 1. **"Lines to a Lobster"**: A romantic poem mocking sentimental verse, addressing a lobster as a love interest. The satire targets overwrought Romantic poetry conventions. 2. **"For the Unco Guid"**: A cartoon showing a well-dressed man at a doorway speaking to St. Peter. The "unco guid" (Scottish for "supposedly virtuous") depicts a sanctimonious character seeking entry to heaven. The punchline suggests such self-righteous people belong at the "Andover Theological Seminary" instead—satirizing religious hypocrisy. 3. **"Death Atones for All"**: A brief satirical scene about an anarchist's death, followed by two cartoon vignettes depicting domestic punishment and mischief, illustrating consequences for rule-breaking. The overall theme critiques hypocrisy, pretension, and sanctimoniousness across social and religious spheres.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE:. LINES TO A LOBSTER. Alfred de M. Snooks, having trodden accidentally upon a breast- pin fashioned in the shape of a lobster and lately adorning the corsage of the fair Miss Robinson, loguitur : H, pretty gem, that not ten minutes since Did naught evince Of coming care— ‘That clung so proudly to her bosom sweet, Now at my feet Thou liest there ! Thus Fortune, with her brightest beaming smile, Will oft beguile Our fears to sleep, The while the jade doth cunningly prepare Some black despair, For all must weep! But tell me, jeweled lobster, in mine ear, ‘Thou wert so near That matchless she, Used not her bosom when of me she thought To be distrought, Like some vexed sea? And might you not, while on her breast you lay, Which ‘neath the sway Of that emotion, Have fancied you were swimming in the main, And felt again Your native ocean ? The lobster preserves an eloquent but discreet silence. DEATH ATONES FOR ALL. “ HAT is this?” thundered the chairman; “here is a newspaper report of an ‘ anarchist washed ashore.’ Who has broken the rules of this order?” “He was dead,” said a member rising, “or he would never have submitted.” FOR THE UNCO’ GUID. T. PETER was sitting by the gates of Glory when a straight-haired personage in black approached him and said: “Having shuffled off the mortal coil, 1 am looking for a place where I may dwell forever among the strictly ortho- dox. “T don't know any such place ’round here,” replied the Saint; “but if you'll apply to the Andover Theological Seminary you may find where people of your kind can be accommodated.” HE’s GOT THE SIDEWALK ALL WET AGAIN, TLL TEACH HIM!” “DRaT THAT Boy ! “TAKE THAT comicbooks.com