Life, 1909-07-01 · page 41 of 44
Life — July 1, 1909 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes editorial commentary with advertisements. The main article discusses poet **John Davidson**, whose recent disappearance (implied suicide) sparked literary debate about whether critics and society bear responsibility for artists' failures. The piece argues against "false sentiment"—the romanticization of struggling artists. It contends that many ordinary workers also pursue creative ideals while earning livelihood, yet don't receive similar pity. The author uses **Walt Whitman** as a counterexample: though commercially unsuccessful like Davidson, Whitman commanded respect through personal integrity and philosophy demonstrated "in their lives," not just writings. The satire targets Victorian literary circles' tendency toward maudlin sympathy for failed poets, suggesting this self-pitying culture actually weakens modern literature. The piece advocates for stoicism and productive effort over romantic despair. The remainder consists of period advertisements for Hampshire Bond paper, whiskey, and a resort hotel—typical Life magazine commercial content.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: The Sandard Paper for Besinem Stationery Louk for the Water Mark" HE retailer knows the value of a taste- T ful, high-class package—the qualities of the package are indissolubly asso- ciated with'the goods contained Your letter paper, that you buy by the pound, you retail out sheet by sheet to your correspondents ; these letter sheets are the “containers” of your messages. Has your letter paper qualities that you| ish connected with your business? Old lampshire Bond bespeaks substantiality, ood taste, sincerity, permanence. sbowing the white and fourteen Colors of Old Hampshire Bond, ‘ecterbeads forms. Please write oa your present letterbead. Hampshire Paper Co. Only paper makers in the world taking bond paper exclusively South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts John Davidson “Who killed John Davidson? "’ is the ques- tion that has Leen agitating the English literary periodicals, and there are not wanting reviewers who are quite willing to answer, “I, with my litle pen!’ John Davidson, be it written for the benefit of the unilluminated, was an unap- preciated poct and philosopher whose sudden dis appearance, universally accepted as proof of sui- cide, has given occasion for some expressions 0 honest grief and a deal of maudlin wailing over the lack of encouragement for true genius. It does not appear that Davidson, while in poor circumstances, was without means of support To quote the words of a personal friend of the poet in the Saturday Rei of London: “The truth about John Davidson is that he was hounded out of life, not by the neglect of the ublic, or the miseries of poverty, or the terrors of ill-health, but by the indifference of his own fellows, those who should have been his com rades in spirit and who, even if they did not praise him as a philosopher, might have loved him as a poet.” With all human sympathy for both sorrow and misfortune, this is false sentiment, false man- hood. Writers are not the only idealists that often fail. Men, idealists, in all lines of effort fail, because they cannot or will not give the world what the world thinks it wants. Unde- served failure is always a matter for regret; but the disproportionate amount of pity indis- criminately lavished upon literary failures en- genders in weaker naturcs that tendency toward self-pity which enervates much modern writing and lowers both writers and literature in the estimation of the public On the other hand, hundreds of brave men, young and old, are drudging at uncongenial tasks earning a livelihood that they may devote their occasional leisure to self-expression. They fight Baunctirr Manor, N. ¥ BRIARCLIFF LODGE A Resort Hotel of High Quality Open from May tat to December 1st with superior necommoda- ons for three hundred guests, Apartments decorated and farnished under exclusive orders for lease engagement. DAVID B. PLUMER, Manager Represented at 5% East 46th St., New York, ‘Phone 2278.i8th. cheerfully, and will either surrender gracefully or die fighting. Some will fail, some will suc- ceed; but it is at least to men of this type that the great world looks for both its poetry and its philosophy. Walt Whitman, judged by ordinary standards, was in his life hardly more successful than John Davidson, but no one dares to say. “ Poor Walt Whitman!" Opinions may differ as to the value of Whitman's poetry or philosophy, but in his manhood Whitman taught what all should teach, not in their writings alone, but in their lives. writers A tapy seeing a small boy robbing a bird's nest of its eggs called him a wicked boy and asked him what he thought the poor mother bird would do when it f nest despoited He answered that the “ poor mother bird "’ would never return because the lady had it decorating her hat.—Our Dumb Animals. PISHERMAN’S LUCK— WET, MUNGRY AND MAD. A GLOOMY PICTURE INDEED WERK IT NOT FOR THE CRAB. JOLNJAMESO WHISKEY For Sale Everywhere. W. A. TAYLOR & CO., Sole Agents New York. pet nadeai SMOKELESS The only DENSE powder made in America ABSOLUTELY WATERPROOF Always the same under all conditions. Not affected by heat or moisture. As good ten years hence as today. Any dealer can supply you with shells loaded with “INFALLIBLE” SMOKELESS , Send 12 cents in stamps fora set of six Pictures illustrating “A Day's Hunt.” Address rept. §, E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER CO, Wilmington, Del., U. S. A. Called His Bluff “Yes,"' said young Windig boastingly, “I pass most of my time between Chicago and New at your cousin told me,"* rejoined replied Windig. “ W-what did * replied Miss Cayenne, “that you lived in a little town in Ohio."’—Chicago News. “Doctor, how soon do you think I'll be well enough to eat things that don’t agree with me? "” —Brooklyn Life. comicbooks.com