Life, 1909-06-17 · page 5 of 32
Life — June 17, 1909 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a Victorian-era garden scene with the caption: "What a dear old-fashioned garden you have here, Mr. Rounder, and how you must love to come here and muse and dream and read poetry!" The cartoon appears to be gentle social satire mocking sentimental romanticism about nature and contemplative leisure—suggesting pretentious affectation among the middle or upper classes. The figure "Mr. Rounder" may be a stock character representing someone of means. Below, "Some Literary Appreciations" offers brief, often backhanded critiques of famous authors (Browning, Tennyson, Milton, Poe, etc.), highlighting their flaws or limited appreciation. The satire suggests these revered poets are overrated or misunderstood by contemporary audiences—typical of *Life* magazine's irreverent literary commentary from the late 19th/early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“WHAT A DEAR OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN YOU HAVE HERE, MR. BOUNDER, AND HOW YOU MUST LOVE TO COME HERE AND MUSE AND DREAM AND READ PorTRY!"? Some Literary Appreciations OBERT BROWNING.—The inventor of the jig-saw puz- zle in, verse. Atrrep Texnyson.—The poct of English middle-class re- spectability, Therefore the true poet of the Victorian era. Joux Micro» Author of “ Paradise Lost '’ and “ Paradise Regained,"’ the second read by nobody, the first only by those who have to; but unhesitatingly pronounced “ great "* by everybody. Eocar Attan Por.—One of the few Americans who have escaped being caught in the Haul of Fame. Joux Buxyax.—Author of a book about the only Pilgrim who did not emigrate in the Mayflower, and from whom the best families of Boston cannot claim descent Tuomas De Quincey literature. The originator of the pipe-dream in Watt Wuttaax.—Prepared a catalogue raisonné of the physi- cal functions under the misapprehension that he was writ ing poetry. —Gustav Kobbé. comicbooks.com