Life, 1909-10-21 · page 23 of 32
Life — October 21, 1909 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page juxtaposes literary criticism with commercial advertising—a typical Life magazine format. **"The Literary Zoo" section** satirizes poet Yone Noguchi and critic Richard Le Gallienne's pretentious aestheticism. The critic uses flowery, overwrought language to praise Noguchi's verse ("feet were whitewashed with kisses"), which Life mocks as absurdly affected. The satire suggests that both poet and critic are breaking from genuine literature into self-indulgent affectation—hence "breaking away from 'Literature.'" **The Gillette ad** occupies most of the page with straightforward product copy promoting the safety razor's convenience and durability. It's positioned as practical, modern, and economical—the antithesis of the precious literary world above. The juxtaposition is the joke: Life contrasts overwrought "literary" pretension with unadorned commercial pragmatism, implicitly suggesting the ad copy is more honest than Le Gallienne's purple prose.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
¢ the Beautiful OFFICIAL PROGRAM and H'S- SOUVENIRS of The Hudson-Fulton, Celebra our {riends or to wo to 20rm the history of cur country, write at 0 (ing PO Money Onder or stamps. rated ia colors, $0 DFIELD BROS... The Literary Zoo (eee Breaking Away from “Literature” cness inseparable from true poetry ©, musical quality that lifts it verse whi is only a kind of se—is the charm which Mr, Kichard in Yone Noguchi’s re s in turtle-dove English, en- grimage.” Poems, do we unbow — hints and remarks the author of 1"—from which it may be seen that come to appreciate a poct. We our- © painfully la all too bald to cha Like as ufter readi the “ Meditation cn a Chinese a poct hi selves a a cup with the tea ancient-browed, y in heart, forlorn look of the empty cup!) t me dream the Confucius land of on and dream.” like we should blunderingly say that here was the reincarnation of Keats trying to write like Walt Whitman: nthe “incense picture” of Kyoto, “the cent and prayer,” Mr. Noguchi—if ome Ore the thythm—is surely. worthy to be ¢ ull ¢ Le Gallienne of Yokohama “The girls, half whisper and half love, straying moonbeam, the streets gods built, ng Spring and passion. hile with me,’ 1 said. their powdered necks. How de- some other time!” they re- he breath of a rose!” s Mr. Le Gallienne anescent, and quite unfor “powdered necks." ers of taste, but we wt that any one who’ finds a neck delicious will be quite unable i. too. Memory, moreover individual man. The late fessed that his mind. let some impor! like the the w As for us, we forget much that is recall a quite unforgettable line feet were whitewashed with kisses. rly, our mind lets go whole pages of are, yet retains.that evanescent lyric Le Gallienne Youth trudges along kon armful of girl and a heart full of But a capacity whispers for emitting is not the least of Mr. * perfumed Noguchi s Shaving hen you get up in the morning dip your face in cool water—then use a refresh- ing lather of Gillette soap —briskly rubbed in. Now pick up your Gillette razor and under its easy strokes, the beard slips off smooth and clean. It takes about three minutes—many Gillette users do it in two minutes. After shaving, rinse the face in cool water and dry with a soft towel. There is nothing to do with your razor except hold it under the open faucet or splash it about GILLETTE $28 Kimball Building, Boston Do You Want Real Comfort in the basin of water. It requires no special care— no stropping, no honing. You will never know what shaving comfort means until you use a Gillette. No other razor works on the Gillette principle— or can, because it is cov- ered by basic patents. The time to buy a Gillette is now. It pays for itself in three months. It costs $5.00—and it lasts a lifetime. The Gillette, illustrated herewith, is so compact that it can be carried in the pocket or slipped in the side of a traveling bag. It comes in gold, sil- ver or gun metal—with handle and blade box to match. The blades are fine. Prices, $5.00 to $7.00. everywhere. SALES CO. For sale Canadien Office 63 St Alexander St Montreal Factories; Doston, Montreal, London, Bertin, Paris en achievement. We are ready to agree with Mr Le Gallienne that his art is the most uncom mising example of “that modern literary ideal which secks its perfection in escape, if . from ‘literature’ altogether.” yy yet by no means a hopeless Some of our most revered essayists escaped from literature long The au thors of our “best sellers” have broken its shacktcs with Why should the poets Lee i Aids digestio ati wine, spirit, and A Gefickttol tonic’ and. Invieor, droge: Important to see that it is Abbott's. Bakes the best cockal Piles “wert you, uit?” “No, 1 GUESS NOT; SECOND STORY.” 1 ONLY FELL rRoM comicbooks.com TUE