Life, 1891-10-22 · page 5 of 16
Life — October 22, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The top cartoon titled "HIS MASTERPIECE" satirizes pretentious literary criticism. A man reclines while others stand discussing poetry, with the caption showing a woman asking what poem best demonstrates "the boldest flight of the imagination," and a man responding it's the one where the poet "refers to himself as a poet." The satire mocks self-aggrandizing poets who treat self-referential work as profound genius—a critique of affected artistic pretension common in late 19th/early 20th-century literary circles. Below are three brief humor pieces: "A SUGGESTION" (a poem about aesthetic manners), "IN THE POLICE COURT" (a joke about a drunk colonel), and two one-liners about Russell Harrison's head size and a zoo incident. These are typical of *Life* magazine's mixed-content format combining visual satire with short comedic pieces.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIS MASTERPIECE, She: WHICH OF MR. CAROLL'S POEMS DO YOU THINK EVINCES THE HOLDEST FLIGHT OF THE IMAGINATION ? He: THAT IN WHICH HE REFERS TO HIMSELF AS A POET. A SUGGESTION, If the stare is meant, sir, For a compliment, sir, As we jolt—through town, Allow me to suggest, sir, A woman oft looks best, sir, When she's sitting down. Ella Wheeler Wilcox. For it’s now zsthetic IN THE POLICE COURT. To be quite athletic. J UDGE: Colonel, are you always drunk ? A $1 go and shop, sir If a car I stop, sir, Where you chance to sit, And you want to read, sir,— Never mind or heed, sir,— I'll not care a bit. 1 Gen hema THE COLONEL: Does your honor take me for a And not brush your lap, sir, millionaire ? As we jolting go. NECESSARY. HAT a big head Russell Harrison has.” “He has to have it—to accommodate his cheek.” HAT was the row at the Zoo this morning ?"”” “ The boa-constrictor got loose and tried to fight If you read on blindly, I shall take it kindly ; All the car's not mine. But if you sit and stare, sir, At my eyes and hair, sir, I must draw the line. with the fire-hose.”” comicbooks.com