Life, 1901-08-08 · page 20 of 20
Life — August 8, 1901 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon, titled "Spoilt His Boast," depicts two well-dressed gentlemen in formal attire. The caption reveals a satirical exchange about self-made success: one man boasts of being "a self-made man, I began life as a barefooted boy," to which the other replies he "wasn't born with shoes on, either." The joke targets the popular Victorian trope of the "self-made man"—a common boast among wealthy businessmen claiming to have risen from poverty through personal merit alone. The cartoon mocks this by suggesting such claims are hollow; everyone starts poor, making the boast meaningless and pretentious. The surrounding content is primarily product advertising (Lea & Perrins sauce, ales, whiskey, cigarettes, brandy), typical of Life's revenue model at this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LEA & PERRING: | SAUCE... 6 Ladies,at luncheon parties and at all home- ¥ meals,will find a delicacy of flavor in all dishes savored with this sauce-for soups, ae Salads etc. SicnatuRe se) Jobn Duncans dons The op SPOILT HIS BOAST, A SELPMADE MAN, 1 BEGAN LIPE 4S A BAREPOOTED tor, KAS E.CAN MAKE OUT, 1 WASN'T BORN WITH SHORS ON, EITHER. — Moonshine, Good Ale without sediment is the safest and most healthiul beverage one can take 3 3 imparts ao famous smack to a Fish dinner, broiled lobster, and game. Just Right. 3 3 CAHN, BELT & CO., Bat:imore, Md. Ask for MARYLAND CLUB And see that you get U, Comfort in AZ Cigarette Smoking Pall Mall CORK TIPPED London Cigarettes High grade. Sold by all dealers and at clubs. Beware of counterfeits, Z/ gyors a, y Yi D N RR gn "y . e oe q y % 5" c Hy rs « 3 $ “A Genuine Old Brandy made from Wine.” — Medical Press (London), Aug. 1899. MARTELL'S THREE STAR ANDY AT ALL BARS AND RESTAURANTS. As Clean as Home-made Bread comicbooks.com