Life, 1913-04-03 · page 47 of 52
Life — April 3, 1913 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with one editorial essay**. The main content is Joseph Addison's 1711 essay "On April Fools," reprinted to mark the 202-year anniversary of its original publication. The essay discusses laughter's origins, citing philosopher Thomas Hobbes's theory that laughter stems from "sudden glory"—finding superiority in others' foolishness. Addison notes that April Fooling was a common custom and references historical practices like European courts keeping "tame fools" (disabled people) for entertainment and mockery. He describes Dutch "Gapers"—statues of gaping idiots displayed publicly. The **satire targets human cruelty disguised as humor**: societies institutionalized mockery of vulnerable people as entertainment, and Addison exposes how laughter often reveals pride and contempt rather than genuine joy. The surrounding advertisements (Cheney neckwear, metal beds, wine, garbage receivers) are typical early-20th-century magazine filler, unrelated to the essay's content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
able Jee hatever your taste in spring neckwear, whether beautiful flowing-end four-in-hands; tubular revers- ible cravats; knit or crocheted four-in-hands, you will find your favorite among CHENEY CRAVATS Anidea of the wealth of selec- tion can be had from the illus- tration, which is only one of the many designs in foulards alone. At your dealer's. Your identification of the genuine is the name ‘‘Cheney Silks”’ in every cravat. CHENEY BROTHERS Silk Manufacturers 4th Avenue and 18th Street, New York i Gene eee Ed 2 UNDERGROUND _— GARBAGE RECEIVER NO LITTER. NO opors. ones Itself. Clean and sanitary. old direct . Cireutar free. Mfr., 46 Farrar § Lynn, Mass. On April Fools (Two hundred and two years ago Addison, in his Spectator, discoursed about the absurd custom of April fooling, still in practise, This is taken from the Spectator, April 24, 1711) Mr. Hobbes, in his Discourse of Hu- man Nature, which, in my humble opin- ion, is much the best of all his works, after some very curious observations upon laughter, concludes thus: “The passion of laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from some sudden conception of some eminency in our- selves, by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formerly; for men laugh at the follies of them- selves past, when they come suddenly to remembrance, except they bring with them any present dishonor.” According to this author, therefore, when we hear a man laugh excessively, instead of saying he is very merry, we ought to tell him he is very proud. And, indeed, if we look into the bottom of this matter, we shall meet with many observations to confirm us in this opin- ion, Every one laughs at somebody that is in an inferior state of folly to him- self. It was formerly the custom for every great house in England to keep a tame fool dressed in petticoats, that the heir of the family might have an oppor- tunity of joking upon him, and diverting himself with his absurdities. For the same reason idots are still in request in most of the courts of Germany, where there is not a prince of any great mag- nificence who has not two or three dressed, distinguished, undisputed fools in his retinue, whom the rest of the courtiers ys breaking their jests upon. The Dutch, who are more famous for their industry and application than for wit and humor, hang up in several of their streets what they call the sign of the Gaper; that is, the head of an idiot dressed in a cap and bells and gaping are al HAS STOOD THE TEST OF AGES AND IS STILL THE FINEST CORDIAL EXTANT At first-class Wine Merchants, Grocers, Hotels, Cafes. Batjer & Co., 45 Broadway, New York, N.Y. Sole Agents for United States, 4 jaan The Really Sanitary Bed Whitcomb Metal Beds —brass and enamel—are not only of the finest design and make, but are most sanitary. Easily moved or taken apart; readily cleaned, Dust-catchers are elimi- nated, and all the sanitary advantages of metal retained. Open in construction, they permit free circulation of air, Whitcomb lacquer—applied hot—is a lacquer that lasts, The enamel of the white beds is baked on in four coats. Seamless tubing, perfect material, careful ma- chining of parts and dovetailing, result in a bed that stands true, rigid, and lasts a life-time. We shall be glad to show you the full line of Whitcomb beds at our nearest display rooms, among them new designs adapted to summer homes and cottages. Write today for our Booklet No. 10, It tells how to know bedstead quality and siogs veluable points on the care of beds and bedding. Address the dis- play room n. The Whitcomb Metallic Bedstead Co. DISPLAY ROOMS New York 34th St. id Madison Ave. Philadelphia, Chestnut St. Boston, =| 78-80 Washington St. Factory: Shelton, Conn, “In use fromthe White House to the Wayside Inn” “4 CANINE FRIEND” comicbooks.com