Life — July 18, 1912 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This illustration depicts a group of boys fishing by a stream near a fence and large tree. The caption "Job's Comfort" is a biblical reference—Job endured great suffering, and his "comforts" were actually his friends offering hollow consolation. The accompanying text fragment discusses copyright law and custom being "stronger than law," suggesting the cartoon satirizes inadequate legal protections. The boys likely represent publishers or those in the publishing industry dealing with copyright infringement or piracy. The peaceful fishing scene ironically contrasts with the text's serious legal discussion—implying that customary practices (like unauthorized copying) persist despite laws meant to prevent them, offering false "comfort" that accepted practice makes something acceptable even when illegal.