Life, 1904-08-04 · page 7 of 36
Life — August 4, 1904 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The illustration titled "Preaching and Practice" depicts a coastal scene with well-dressed figures—a woman in elaborate dress seated centrally, attended by men in formal attire. This appears to be social satire about hypocrisy. The accompanying text sections mock August weather complaints and summer leisure activities. "Time Enough" satirizes a subway death's delayed investigation. The church fair dialogue mocks someone's claim of moral rectitude despite apparently dishonest behavior. The overall theme critiques the gap between public propriety and private conduct—"preaching" versus "practice." The beach setting and formal dress suggest this targets upper-class hypocrisy, a common *Life* magazine subject. The specific figures are unclear, though the scene implies commentary on contemporary social pretension and moral inconsistency among the wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright. 1904. by Life Publishing Co. August. HE month of highest temperatures fitly derives its name from that of the Emperor Augustus, who was the warmest baby in the bunch (de fascic- ulo infans calidissimus). In August sin goes down to the sea- shore and the churches close their doors. Politicians lie low; just enough, in fact, to keep their hand in. The leisure classes are more violently leisurely than ever. PREACHING AND PRACTICE, Summer girls roll up their sleeves and acquire a coat of arms (tan). Hay fever is in the public eye. Vacations are gone on; fewer noses are being held to the grindstone; more are being blistered, and business is cor- respondingly dull. Love is cheap and talk is eternal. It is the time of hearts, hammocks and hallucinations ; of happiness made up of carbonic acid gas and flavoring extract. Time Enough. “\Y7HAT! Only four hundred people killed in the Subway since it was started!” “Oh, well, you must remember that it hasn’t been opened yet.” “ ADAME, will you officiate at our church fair?" “Dear me; I never did a dishonest thing in my life.”” comicbooks.com