Life, 1892-01-14 · page 1 of 18
Life — January 14, 1892 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "An Important Difference" - Life Magazine, January 14, 1892 This satirical cartoon contrasts two figures in formal dress. The caption presents a dialogue between "She" and "The General": **She**: Dueling is barbarous and irrational. **The General**: It's just like war, but for numbers. **She**: No, it isn't. In war you can lie in wait, or get behind something. The satire mocks military justifications for dueling by exposing the logical inconsistency: if dueling is acceptable because it mirrors warfare, then the General's argument collapses when confronted with war's actual tactics (ambush, cover). The cartoon ridicules both the practice of dueling—still occurring among gentlemen in 1892—and military men who defend it through flawed reasoning. "She" represents common sense, while "The General" embodies outdated aristocratic honor codes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mats ly jus le room fin the VOLUME XIX. NEW YORK, JANUARY 14, 1892. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1891, by Mrrewent & Miter, AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE. She: DUELING 13 BARBAROUS AND IRRATIONAL, The General : IT'S JUST LIKE WAR, BUT FOR NUMBERS She: No, 17 isy'T. IN WAR YOU CAN LIE IN WAIT, OR GET BEHIND SOMETHING NUMBER 472. comicbooks.com