Life, 1890-07-17 · page 10 of 16
Life — July 17, 1890 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 24 **"The Blessings of Science"** depicts a humorous contrast: a scientist conducting an electrical experiment on a child while another child watches in horror. The satire critiques unregulated scientific experimentation on human subjects, presenting science's "blessings" as potentially dangerous when applied carelessly. **The right panel** shows a mother instructing her daughter on proper social etiquette—"keep them on a little while" and "your company manners"—satirizing Victorian social conventions and the performative nature of upper-class behavior. **"In Training"** and **"Practical Christianity"** are brief comedic dialogues. The first jokes about manuscript rejection; the second presents ironic "Christian" advice about stealing kisses, mocking hypocritical morality that permits minor transgressions. Overall, the page satirizes scientific recklessness, social pretense, and moral hypocrisy in early 20th-century society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
24 THE BLESSINGS OF SCIENCE. 2 (after the visitors had gone): SAY, MAMMA, KEEP THEM ON A LITTLE WHILE.” WHAT ON, DEAK?” “YOUR COMPANY MANNERS." IN TRAINING. H ARRY (looks ner manuscript): You don’t expect any editor will accept such stuff as that, do you?” Jack: Certainly not! It has been refused by seven already.” Hark Why under the sun, do you keep on sending it round ? Jack: I'm trying to discover in how many ways a thing can be courteously declined. Harry: What for? JACK: I promised to go with Imogene to the dinner of the Mystic Cooking Club. PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY. Would you care much if I should steal a kiss? SHE (strictly Purttanic): should. I could not bear to look at you again, should I know you to be guilty of violating, in the smallest degree, one of the commandments. If you must have a kiss, occasionally, ask me for it and I will be only too willing to donate Ytemwon it, but you must not steal it. comicbooks.com