Life, 1905-04-27 · page 8 of 26
Life — April 27, 1905 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts eight famous literary and cultural figures of the era seated as misbehaving students in a Sunday school class. The teacher (left) attempts to discuss morality and religious texts. The caricatured figures listed are: Hall Caine, Marie Corelli, Henry James, Winnie Churchill, Gerty Atherton, Cyrus Brady, and S. Weir Mitchell—all prominent turn-of-the-century authors. The satire mocks these writers for their pretensions and actual behavior. The dialogue reveals contradictions: they discuss "the making of books" and profits while claiming moral authority. The cartoon suggests these celebrated authors are hypocritical—preaching virtue while pursuing commercial success and ego, much like unruly schoolchildren pretending to lessons they don't genuinely understand.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life’s Sunday-School Class. PRESENT Now, little boys and girls, we are gathered here her on this be iful, bright, sunny morning to discuss a ve Ty important subject. Hatt Caine: ‘em stop? ton is pinching me. Lire: Gerty, what do sacher, can't you ma Gerty Ather- you ATHERTON I can't uced thing near 2RTY stand that pie He makes me shudder. You shouldn't feel that way toward any of God's crea- tures. Now, our text is, ‘‘ Of the making of books there is no end Cyrus Brady, S. Weir Mitchell. Cyrus Brapy: Thatain’t right. It ought to be, “ Of the making of my books there is no end.” S. Weir Mitcnene: Say, Cyrus, ain't you ever going to stop? Cyrus: Not much. I used to play around the pulpit, but there's more money in this. I'll never stop till I die. S. Weir Mitcnett: That's me also. Lire: Stop talking in the class. Come, Marie Corelli, what do you think of the text? You may tell the class your conception. Marie Coretit: I don’t think anything about it. I don’t have Hall Caine, Marie Corelli, Henry James, Winnie Churchtil, Gerty Atherton, time to think, All I know is that I hate everybody but myself. Hatt Caine: She always was vain Marie Coreti: Putty face! Hatt Caine: Smarty! Lire: That will do! Henry James, come and join the rest of us. Why are you sitting off alone? Winnie Cuurcuite: Oh, he’s for us. He's from Boston. He thinks he knows it all, Beans! Beans! Beans ! Henry Jam Teacher, it is, to me, quite incon rle, I may too good say incomprehensible, how, in your comicbooks.com