Life, 1907-08-01 · page 18 of 48
Life — August 1, 1907 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical sections rather than a traditional cartoon. **"Our Fresh Air Fund"** lists donors to a charitable program, likely mocking wealthy philanthropists' modest contributions. **"Soul"** is a brief humorous essay mocking scientists' attempts to define the soul's physical nature, then pivots to a sexist joke: "summer girls" (unmarried women) lack souls because their names lack the letter "R" (a pun on the old adage about eating oysters only in months with "R"). **"History"** satirizes how history depends on storytellers (referencing Homer and the Trojan War) rather than objective truth, and notes historians often report things "which are not so." It also contains a cynical observation about women: a woman "with a history" (implying sexual scandal or loose morality) could extract money from men without marriage—presenting infidelity as practical advantage. **"The True, and the Beautiful"** references William James's pragmatism, suggesting belief in animal consciousness enriches nature study regardless of truth. The final jab appears directed at Theodore Roosevelt or a contemporary political figure, suggesting refined imagination isn't required for the presidency.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
142 Our Fresh Air Fund REVIOUSL) R. D. Grey Anonymous. P. Band Emma Anderson Elizabeth Roe Howe. Henry Hart acknowledged 88sse : Mrs. J.S.L Lloyd. Jack 888ssss Total Soul CIENTISTS are somewhat united in giving the soul substantiality, but they differas to its shape. Some The chances ; but is, to a considerable degree, like an oyster. Anyway, summer girls, who occur precisely in those months which haven't the letter R in their names utterly devoid of soul. Surely this is more than nciden *LIFEB: History FySstORY isa by-product. Certain of us cannot make money, progress, much ado about nothing, merry, good, enemies, or, in fact, much of anything, without making history, incidentally. But history is not history merely with the making. It has furthermore to be written up. “Where,” says Horace, “would the Trojan war and the wrath of Achilles be, if it were not for Homer?” and he might add, “Where the System, but for Mr. T. W. Lawson?” History is about the last word to prove that the art of telling the truth is still in its infancy. Nobody knows more things which are not so than the well-informed historian. History appeals to vs powerfully whether in the form of the fifty-two-page newspaper, or in that of the 117- volume Ridpath. There is more his- tory consumed than anything except tobacco. History has its practical too. A woman with a history can give a woman with none a rod the start and beat her out. Particularly, she can get a man’s money without marrying him, which makes it a lot more comfortable all round The True, and the Beautiful RUE,” says Professor James, of Harvard, “is the term applied to whatever is practically profitable to be- lieve,” and by that does he not in some- thing rive the fog which just now invests the subject of nature study? Whether or not animals really think, they become vastly more interesting at once we think they think. The man who goes forth in the love of nature and believes that the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air have minds and hearts like human beings, provides himself thereby with the most delightful companionship in the world. The present controversy seems to have established nothing so clearly as that a man may lack the finer imagination and yet be a very good President of the United States. LIFE’S FARM comicbooks.com