Life, 1908-03-12 · page 19 of 20
Life — March 12, 1908 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and editorial content**, not political satire. The left column contains "The Literary Zoo," a humorous essay mocking "comparative literature" anthologies. The author satirizes collections that arbitrarily group classic authors alphabetically—creating absurd juxtapositions like Charles De Kay sandwiched between Defoe and Demosthenes, or Theodore Roosevelt following Rochefoucauld. The joke is that alphabetical arrangement creates pretentious but meaningless "literary" connections, and that reading such collections makes readers feel cultured without genuine understanding. The page's three **advertisements** promote: - *St. Nicholas* magazine for children (with an illustration of a fantastical ship) - P.B. Ale beer - Dard's rare plants and flowers The brief quotes at bottom are reader testimonials. There is **no political cartoon or satire** on this page—it's a typical early 20th-century magazine layout mixing editorial content with paid advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hla “Comparative Literature” N ESTEEMED book reviewer re- marks that “comparative litera threatens to become as great a bore as i ‘That depends upon the kind of e literature. To understand the relationship between Goethe and Sterne, between Plutarch and Shakespeare, be- tween Theocritus and Tennyson, is to become more intelligently acquainted with these authors; on the other hand, there are enthusiasts who, in attempting to show the influence of Plato on the President’s mes- sages, bring the whole subject into dis- repute. There is, however, another sort of com- parative literature to which we like to tum in our tired moments. It is put up in little packages labeled “The World’s Master- pieces”; nothing is lacking but a mega- phone “announcer” to persuade us fully that we are “seeing the classics.” Romp- ing in a quiet hour through Addison and &schylus, and pausing only for breath when the ““A’s” are completed with Jane Austen, we feel that we are living up to the ction of a celebrated critic, that a student of literature “ought not to attempt to take one book and isolate it from its fellows.” A special merit of such anthologies is the alphabetical arrangement. By a for- tuitous concourse of authors, Charles De Ray, inserted between slices of De Foe and Demosthenes, makes a delicious literary sandwich. It is no mere felicitous coinci- dence that offers us George Ade prepara- tory to a perusal of Esop. Lowell paves the way for Mabie, whose polite style Palliates the somewhat over-robust Ma- caulay. “Dooley” Dunne leads us by easy stages to the philosophy of Emerson and Epictetus. After sampling Roche- foucauld “On Conversation,” and noting what he says of “an eloquent silence,” we pass on to the writings of Theodore Roose- velt. It isa literary pousse café, in which one flavor,with itsaccompanying sensation, succeeds another. Above all, it affords the uthor of to-day a propinquity to rtals that he could scarcely hope any other process of exploita- Some day, by the exercise of dili- 1 kindred qualities essential to a reputation, we hope to occupy a Place a little below Charles Lamb. W. T. L. HE chosen victim of vivisection is un- doubtedly the dog.—The Abolitionist. Atitn’s Foor-Ease has becuine almost a necessity tome —\rs. HE, Sadler, Sedan, Kansas, thildren on Board ? A copy of ST. NICHOLAS bought at any news-stand for twenty-five cents will give children a voyage to Storyland, the happi- ness of which they will never forget. Do you realize the value to children of a magazine brimful of delightful entertain- ment, profitable information and refining influences? The One Great Childrens Magazine T. NICHOLAS 25 cents a copy at all news-stands and book-stores THE CENTURY COMPANY, Union Square, NEW YORK P. B. ALE It has a satisfying taste that distin- guishes it from every other ale—the tonic taste of malt spiced by the tang of hops. Taste and be satisfied. A. G. Van Noftrand BUNKER HILL BREWERIES Forty-fourth St. and Madison Ave. 116 West 72d St... N. Y. Rare Plants and Flowers in great variety Prompt reliable service comicbooks.com