Life, 1896-09-24 · page 9 of 20
Life — September 24, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 231 The main illustration depicts two figures in conversation, with one appearing to gossip to the other. The caption reads: "Such vile, uncharitable gossip! and you hadn't heard it until I met you!" This is satirizing **hypocrisy in gossip-spreading**—the speaker claims moral superiority while simultaneously spreading rumors, implying they're the source rather than merely repeating hearsay. The surrounding text discusses **vivisection** (animal experimentation), criticizing students and professors who perform such procedures while claiming moral authority. The satire targets their inconsistency: they lecture about ethics while conducting practices they consider justified by science. The smaller "One Way" section mocks **sensationalist preaching**, suggesting ministers use exaggerated claims to reach poor audiences without substance. Overall, the page satirizes **moral hypocrisy across institutions**—gossips, scientists, and clergy claiming righteousness while behaving otherwise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*LIFE- 231 the “subject. Oh, yes, the vivisectionist found plenty to think about during the vacation, and no doubt he comes back like a giant refreshed, prepared to utterly crush any weak twaddler who ventures to doubt the absolute necessity and the lofty moral influence of his favorite pursuit. AMBITION. ONG time he spent in moulding clay To be an image fair as day; At last 'twas done. He stood there in reflection’s pause And looked. He only saw the flaws— Grace it had none. For with his labor he had learned So much that his past work he spurned Within his soul. And from the place he had attained He saw, far off, there might be gained A greater goal. Wood Levette Wilson. AVE you seen the army worm ? No? Well, you have seen the bicyclists on Madison Avenue and the Boulevard and other avenues in this and every other city, and after them the army worm seems individual and spo- radic. When the seventeen-year locust comes again and discovers the bicyclists, the sight will discourage him and he “sucHt VILE, U: every statement, no instructor can rea- sonably expect a young man to believe these things until he has. seen them demonstrated upon a living animal. This is an age of humbug, and how is the student to know that the text books are reliable? But when he has once seen a thing for himself at the cost of some hapless animal—ah, then he has a solid foundation for his knowledge. He can meditate conclusive arguments to prove that the effect on the student of unrestricted vivisection is and always has been immensely refining, humaniz- ing and ennobling, and that the animals don’t greatly object—in fact, rather like the process. Hecan plan scathing expressions of his scorn for the unscientific and ignorant rabble who cannot realize that because some experiments, conducted by eminent scientists, have resulted in good, there- will refuse to compete. ARITABLE GOSSIP! AND YOU HADN'T HEARD {7 UNTIL [MET you!" fore all students and professors of med- icine ought of right to vivisect whatever, whenever and wherever they may be inclined. He can devise elaborate arguments for persuading the state governments to turn over to him for purposes of scien- tific research all criminals condemned to death, and for convincing the populace that since the powers that be permit un- limited vivisection of animals, they really have no right to draw the line at any particular animal—to say, for in- stance, that dogs may be vivisected but men may not. Finally, he may have time to recover from his unbounded astonishment at the audacity of the presumptuous crew who, though probably not one in a hundred of them has ever vivisected an animal in his life, yet consider themselves capa- ble of forming an intelligent opinion on DRAWING TO FILL. ONE WAY. es HEY say the minister preaches sensational ser- mons in order to directly reach the most depraved classes.” “ How can that do i ‘Why, now the reporters have to hear him.” comicbooks.com