Life, 1899-08-10 · page 7 of 20
Life — August 10, 1899 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life's Biographical Primer - Page Explanation This is a satirical alphabet page featuring famous figures from theater, music, and popular culture. Each panel ridicules a notable person through caricature and verse: - **E (Edison)**: Mocks Thomas Edison's invention of a "contrivance for Eve," playing on the Adam-and-Eve myth. - **F (Franklin)**: Depicts Benjamin Franklin "fearfully shocking" three named figures—likely referencing his famous electricity experiments. - **G (Godiva)**: References the Lady Godiva legend, suggesting she "firmly declines to repeat" her famous naked horseback ride. - **H (Handel)**: Shows the composer at an organ with musicians, joking about his willingness to assist "on trombones." The page satirizes these historical and cultural figures through crude humor and visual exaggeration typical of Life magazine's irreverent style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
«LIFE LIFE'S BIOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. IS for Edison, making believe He's invented a clever contrivance for Eve, ‘Who complained that she never could laugh in her sleeve. 1S Godiva, whose great bareback feat She kindly but firmly declines to repeat, Though Gounod and Goldsmith implore and entreat. 1S for Franklin, who fearfully shocks The feelings of Fenelon, Faber and Fox. . H IS for Handel, invoking deep tones On the organ for Hamlet and Howells and Holmes, Who kindly consent to assist on trombones. Olicer Herford.