Life, 1908-03-26 · page 19 of 22
Life — March 26, 1908 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and editorial content**, not political satire requiring historical context. **Left side** contains two brief satirical pieces: 1. **"The Literary Zoo"** — A humorous letter mocking New York City's self-regard. A reader sarcastically asks where in Manhattan one can find a quiet library to work, noting that New Yorkers boast their city is "the most wonderful" yet lack basic intellectual infrastructure. The satire targets civic pride divorced from reality. 2. **"The Salvage of Sappho"** — A joke about literary pretension. It references recent archaeological discoveries of classical Greek poetry, then mocks Manhattan poets who nervously worry their work might be confused with ancient masters. The satire suggests these contemporary writers are mediocre and paranoid about plagiarism from antiquity. **Right side** is straightforward advertising: The Piccadilly Hotel opening in London (1908), John Jameson whiskey, and *Dress* magazine subscription offers. The humor relies on observational satire about urban life and literary affectation rather than specific historical events or figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ye Alas, No! The following, communication, written ina strong, masculine hand, yet which seems to show traces of tears, has been received by the editor of the Literary Zoo: Dear Sir—Inferring from a persual of your columns that y to consult books other than current fiction, it has occurred to me that you could perhaps answer this question: Is there somewhere in a sometimes have occasion Manhattan a library, free or otherwise, wel! stocked with standard works, where one may think and write in sanitary surroundings, un disturbed by conversation, snoring or typ« writing machines? ABRACADABRA It is a mortifying admission, as, in common with all true New Yorkers who have lived here at least two years, we hold that New York is the most wonderful city in the most incomparable country in the most civilized age known to recorded history; but we regret to say that we have been unable to discover a place rejoicing in the extraordinary conjunction of re quisites which Abracadabra is secking The Salvage of Sappho HE sensational news fron Behnesa-on the-Bahr-Yusuf, via ‘London, to the effect that archeologists have unearthed another ode by Pindar, has caused a greater commotion in Manhattan literary circles than anything accomplished since the subway excavation committee dug up the unsuspected magnum opus of Mr August Belmont. Local builders of the lofty rhyme are nervously asking: “Is it possible that Pindar said something in this yught we had said our ode which we t selves?” ‘The distinguished paraphrase ologist who recently told us in the Times that “we have poets who write so like Wordsworth and Milton that one can hardly them from their masters,” is undergoing a cross self-ex- amination to ascertain whether he himself is not apt tobe confused with Theoeritus, as he already has been with Hafiz and Omar differentiate * + W REGRET to say, however, that the most. dili digging in the nities of Mitylené and Cornish has utterly failed to. unearth a single lost fragment of Sappho; and the fund pro vided for this purpose by a millionaire Irish-American contractor has been ex hausted. It seems to us that the time is ripe for a restoration of this We recall little in the imperfect treasures of antiquity that has not been restored. ‘The “Lost ‘Tales of Miletus,” the arms of the so-called Venus of Melos, the palimp- y's lyrics A_TWENTIETH CENTURY PALACE RESTAURANT AND og, UCADILLY 1g le LONDON | PICCADILLY ano REGENT STREET, W. Two of the World’s Greatest Thoroughfares OPENS EARL IN MAY, 1908 SCIENCE, ART, REFINEMENT AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE APPLIED TO THE LUXURY AND COMFORT OF RESTAURANT AND HOTEL LIFE There is nothing more striking in London than the Majestic Facades in Piccadilly and Regent Street, while the gorgeous and graceful in- terior contains the finest exemplification of XVIIIth century art both in England and France. For beautifully illustrated descriptive volume, write to Manager: “a Ks S i Y MLL Os Those who know pronounce it “just right.” ABSOLUTELY PURE MELLOWED BY AGE Sole Agents W. A. TAYLOR & CO. New York THE PICCADILLY HOTEL AND RESTAURANT, LONDON, W. DRESS The most number ever published beautiful and ardrobe is al f ‘The whole Spri in a charming girl who of her friends of “DRESS* 11 West 36th Street, New York Dear Sirs— Please send me ** DRESS” for charge $5 00 to f a account Name Street Cth cca comicbooks.com The April Number of LET YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BEGIN WITH resented the sartorial envy