Life, 1906-07-26 · page 13 of 20
Life — July 26, 1906 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents satirical character sketches defining social types through letters I and L. **"I"** depicts "the intensely Intense" person who obsessively dilates on abstract concepts like "Where," "Whence," "Why," and "Ego"—essentially a pretentious intellectual bore who speaks in philosophical jargon. **"L"** shows "the Loquacious variety" found in high society—a chronic talker who drowns out others with constant chatter, exhibiting "self-inebriety" (self-intoxication through his own voice). Both sketches mock early 20th-century social archetypes: the pseudo-intellectual and the insufferable conversationalist. The accompanying reader letters discuss *Life* magazine's circulation and content quality, suggesting this was a popular recurring feature satirizing recognizable personality types readers encountered socially.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~LIPE: AN ALPHABET OF BORES By Ouiver HERFORD Is the intensely Intense Who dilates on the“ Where” and the “ Whence,” The “ Wherefore” and “Why” And the “Ego” (or 1”), Not to mention the “Hither” and “Hence *S the Loquacious variety Who is found in all sorts of Society; He drinks in the sound Of his own Voice till drowned In a species of self-inebriety. ILWAUK. Eprtor oF Lire: Dear Sir—Your publication of the savory “Limburger”’ correspondenc, showing the replacement of one old subscriber by two new ones, suggests a novel method of in- ing circulation having brilliant possi- ies. Can it be that Lire is too simple- minded to have guessed it, or is the recent publication of numerous letters from cor- respondents who “regret to note for the first time” something particularly excep- tionable about his conduct to be taken as an in lication that the clever little rascal has actually invented this scheme for amusing himself and increasing his popularity? Search out your subscribers’ individual pet aversions, apply salt and turpentine, and 6 rub well in, let stand to a boil, cream of the manuscript (coming to you free of charge), spread upon your weekly pages, and serve with editorial spice. In just proportion to the howls of the victim will come the hurrahs of the rest of us, and for each shekel that leaves you several new ones will come rattling into your coffers. It can readily be figured out that your circulation will grow in geometrical pro- gression, and the consciousness of having used the grand human principle of gaudium alieni doloris,or, as we moderns more finely express it,the greatest good of the greatest number,” in so pleasurable and profitable a manner must ever be a source of comfort to you as well as cash. Ju'y 2, 1906. A. Schopenhauer, Jr. iG COMPANY: Gentlemen—Does it make “Lire mise=- able” when a subscriber writes saying that only special numbers are worth ten cents, and recommends fewer and better papers ? Please do not follow that suggestion. We want Lire every week, and think we get not only ten cents’ worth of fun out of cach issue, but several lollars’ worth of general information during the year. June 14, 1996. Mrs. S. P. Crosby. LACK ROCK, BRID Lirr Pustisuinc Comp 3 fe—I've been borrowing, buying, stealing and reading you, off and on, for twenty years. Think that it’s about time for me to subscribe, so inclose five dollars. Don’t always agree with things you sa wouldn't spend time reading you if I di Sincerely yours, June 16, 1906. Arthur K. L. Watson. SPORT, CT. comicbooks.com