Life, 1907-08-01 · page 22 of 48
Life — August 1, 1907 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes moral censorship in both Britain and America. The main article, "The Nursery Governess," critiques how authorities treat the public like children requiring protection from "dangerous" literature and theater. It references real censorship cases: Britain's banning of "Westward Ho" and "Mary Barton," and American sensitivity that led to removing a melodrama featuring African American performers and objections to Browning Society performances. The top cartoon depicts a man ("Vestryman Jones") suspended from church for the transgression of hot-air ballooning on Sunday—satirizing rigid religious moralism. The bottom cartoon is a "Help Wanted" joke defining a "Burglar Trust Manager" position that requires the ruthlessness of a burglar but claims the applicant should actually be a newspaper reporter—mocking journalists as unethical operatives willing to invade privacy and break rules. Both critique excessive moral gatekeeping.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
146 The Nursery Governess HE British public is beginning to think it is being looked after almost too tenderly by the guardians of its minor morals. It is making little lists of plays which the Lord Chamberlain and the Dramatic Censor have, between them, barred out of English theatres. It is making little lists of books which con- ntious librarians have deemed da gerous to English readers. And it is murmuring feebly that its nursery rules ure a trifle rigid, and that its governesses are almost too severe. Perhaps the ban upon the roused this mild spirit of rebel haps the gentlemen who refused to admit “Westward Ho” into the of Tilbury may be held respo some dissatisfaction. Perhaps the chaste librarian who feared that “ Mary Ba might bring a blush to the cheek of youth has set the world agape. ‘There is a misty 1 England that all good Protest ht to read “Westward Ho” when. they are young (no adult man or woman could hope to finish it); and to sce this bulwark of the Church branded as in- cligible because it sings the praises of tob; is i nation’s vilities, y y hinted, will be the next book d upon the Index We in this land of freedom have no official censor—no one who is paid $4,000 r to forbid our seeing plays; but we have so many sensitive interests to be offended, that providing dramas for the American public is like a species of egg-da nquil Philadelph the negroes have driven one melodrama from the stage; and a performance of “A Blot in the ’Scutcheon” by the Browning Society has filled the air with the virtuous protests of the scandalized. It is a com- fort to be told with all due solemnity by Mikado” ion. Per- “THE BALD-HEADED Row” -LIFE- ATS WALKE VESTRYMAN JONES WAS RECENTLY SEEN BALLOONING ON SUNDAY AND WAS LATER SUSPENDED FROM THE CHURCH a New York paper that Mr. Mansficld’s year-old son has written a_ play. We hope the youth and innocence of the author will insure its being irreproach- able In the meantime, “Advanced Vaude- ville” has taken possession of the land, and apparently gives universal satis- faction. Here at least is a panacea for all evils. Here is a pastime which pleases everybody. When, in the spring, the glad news+passed from town to town that a young Englishwoman was coming to sing us “Never Introduce a Bloke to Your Lady Friend,” we knew that, even if the obsolete drama vanished from the stage, we should still be left the intellec- tual pleasures of the music hall Agnes Repplier. Defined URGLAR TRUST MANAGE You will be required to turn night into d to throw aside all sentiment; to enter the house of the best famili regardless of their feelings; to act the hypocrite, and if necessary to go to jail. Appiicant: Um. You don’t want an ordinary burglar. What you want is a newspaper reporter. comicbooks.com