Life, 1894-07-12 · page 7 of 20
Life — July 12, 1894 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation of Page 23 from Life Magazine This page contains a satirical illustration depicting what appears to be a social gathering or public event, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century based on the clothing styles and artistic technique. The caption presents a dialogue between "The Poet" and "She": - **The Poet** claims he doesn't want it known that he is a poet - **She** responds that this is no reason he shouldn't sign his name to his work The satire appears to mock poets or artists who are either ashamed of their identity or reluctant to claim credit for their work. The joke suggests hypocrisy: if one produces creative work, one should openly acknowledge authorship rather than hide behind anonymity or false modesty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Poet: You ste, | DON'T WANT IT KNOWN THAT I aM A POET. She: BUT THAT 18 NO REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T SIGN YOUR NAME TO IT.