Life, 1902-09-18 · page 7 of 22
Life — September 18, 1902 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical poem titled "A Ballade of Controversy" mocking literary and academic debates about authorship attribution—particularly regarding works attributed to Shakespeare and Bacon. The poem questions whether various historical figures actually created what's credited to them, using playful language about "ciphers" and collaborative efforts. The accompanying illustrations show Victorian-era figures in period costume, likely representing the scholars and writers being satirized. The bottom section includes separate brief comedic dialogues about theater and marriage, typical of Life's humor format. The satire targets the obsessive scholarly disputes over historical authorship that were apparently contemporary concerns when this was published. The "Snapshots in Hades" illustration suggests deceased historical figures observing these modern controversies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Ballade of Controversy. HALL ever cease this Much Ado? And will this Tempest e’er abate? ’Tis Labor Lost to seek a clue To theories so intricate ; ‘Tis sad to think a poet's fate Should hang upon a cipher’s say; ‘The case is growing desperate. ‘To settle it who hath a way? Was Bacon in Witches’ brew? And if, as critics gravely state, The Pound of Flesh was Bacon, too, Then Shylock sure should hesitate With rashers to appease his hate. Did Bacon really in his day ‘The melancholy Ham create?— ‘To settle it who hath a way? Oh, would that we, for certain, knew Who made the Pilgrim Passionate, And who it was that tamed the Shrew, And found for Benedick a mate. Mayhap they did collaborate, And from the shades enjoy the fray. A Shakespeare-Bacon syndicate, To settle it who hath a way? ENVOI. Fair ghost of one who might relate The truth, oh, haste to help us, pray. By spirit-cipher on a slate Do settle it, Anne Hathaway. Jennie Betts Hartswick, = #A OW do yon like Miss De Soie in her new play?" “I think it is the best thing in her wardrobe.” “ HEIGH, MAQ, YOU'S RIGHT. 17'S ONLY IMrTaTIoN."” SNAPSHOTS IN HADES. THE TRANSPORMED SOUL OP THE MAN WHO MUST BE FORMALLY INTRODUCED AND AGSURED OF THE “SOCIAL STANDING" OF PEOPLE NE MEETS IN EVERY-DAY LIPR, BEFORE BE THINKS THEM WORTHY OP M18 COURTESY. Gastrotomy. T seems to be settled that the human stomach can be cut out ; but the operation being quite in- volved, it costs about as much as keeping a cook within twelve miles of the City Hall, and even to the inhabitants of the suburbs offers little relief. However, the invention of labor- saving machinery may render the process commercially practicable in time. NE protective tariif'is not the mother of trusts, though It Is the parent of condi- tions that make ft profitable for capital to combine and congenial for lator to organ- tze.— Secretary Shaic. This clears things up some. The tariff is the grandmother of trusts, and everybody knows how indul- gent grandmothers are. The Usual Thing. ‘© 'T was a most romantic mar- riage.”” “Indeed? Was the groom as worthless as all that?” comicbooks.com