Life, 1910-04-07 · page 72 of 76
Life — April 7, 1910 — page 72: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **literary satire and advertising**, not political cartooning. The main text, "Sparks from Old Anvils," is a mock-scholarly critique of the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill." The author applies absurdly pedantic literary analysis to the children's poem—defending the "dignity" of drawing water, comparing Jack to characters in classical epics, and debating whether "crown" refers to his head. The satire mocks overwrought academic criticism and pretentious literary commentary that treats trivial subjects with unwarranted seriousness. The illustrations are period advertisements: a gentleman's collar by Corliss-Coon & Co., a children's illustration labeled "A Counterfeit," and ads for Knapp hats and Cheney silk cravats. These advertisements are unrelated to the satirical text. The humor targets not a political figure but rather the absurdity of excessive scholarly interpretation applied to nursery rhymes—a gentle jab at pompous literary criticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
3 Heights “Herald Square’ An effect long striven for and first attained by Corliss, Coon & Co. The utmost in style and wear. Write for our Style Book. ‘The Best Purnisher in your city probably sells Corliss-Coon Collars. If not, send us his name with style and size desired and we will see that you are supplied. Corliss, Coon & Co. Dept.J. Troy, N.Y. A COUNTERFIT ses es ag Sparks from Old Anvils (Continued from page 564) been drawn for the purpose of culinary consumption; it might have been to quench the thirst of the harmless animals who relied on them for sup- port; it might have been to feed a sterile soil and to revive the drooping plants which they raised by their la- bors. Is not our author more judi- cious than Apollonius, who chooses for the heroes of his Argonautics a set of rascals undertaking to steal a sheep- skin? And, if dignity is to be con- sidered, is not drawing water a cir- cumstance highly characteristic of an- Do we not find the amiable Does not one of the maidens in the Odyssey de- light us by her diligence in the same situation? And has not a learned Dean proved that it was quite fash- ienable in Peloponnesus? Let there be an end to such frivolous remarks. But the descriptive part is now fin- ished, and the author hastens to the catastrophe. At what part of the mountain the well was situated, what was the reason of the sad misfortune, or how the prudence of Jack forsook him, we are not informed; but so, alas! it happened, * Jack fell down. Unfortunate John! At the moment when he was nimbly, for aught we know, going up the hill, perhaps at the moment when his toils were to cease, and he had filled the bucket, he made an unfortunate step; his center of gravity, as the philosophers would say, fell beyond his base, and he tumbled. The extent of his fall does not, how- ever, appear until the next line, as the author feared to overwhelm us by too immediate a disclosure of his whole misfortune. ‘ Buoyed by hope, we sup- pose his affliction not quite remediless ; that his fall is an accident to which the wayfares of this life are daily liable, and we anticipate his immediate rise to resume his labors. But how are we undeceived by the heartrending tale that. Jack fell down And broke his crown— Nothing now remains but to deplore the premature fate of the unhappy John. The mention of the crown has much perplexed the commentators. But my learned reader will doubtless agree with me in conjecturing that, as the crown is often used metaphorically for the head, and as that part is, or, without any disparagement to the un- fortunate sufferer, might have been, the heaviest, it was really his peri- 656 The first Derby made in America was a perh the er, Made in two grades, $6 and $4. Gf Sold by the best dealers. stre Write for THE HATMAN, with The Crofut & Kaapp Co., Broadway at 13th St., Nev: Yori} mot cranium which sustained the damage Having seen the fate of Jack, we are anxious to know the lot of his com- panion, Alas! And Gill came tumbling after, Here the distress thickens on us. Un- able to support the loss of his friend (Continued on page 657) Non-Bindin, Pin-proof And these are bi two oe aie tages possesse ene! i ‘Craiats All silk, course. Tubular woven\ therefore reversible, givini twice the wear. wo Colors. Price, Soc. samped Menige the Hyeur desler es not eo poem, send name’ ead we wil supply, direct om receipt CHT & NEDSEDL, ‘selling Agente ne Bt, New Tork comicbooks.com