Life, 1913-11-06 · page 43 of 56
Life — November 6, 1913 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines advertising with social satire. The main content is a humorous essay **debunking anthropological claims** about female beauty and marriage selection. British anthropologists had reportedly argued that men naturally select beautiful women for marriage while women accept "any old face." Life's editors mock this "solemnly" declared theory, countering with historical examples: Dr. Johnson married a homely servant; great men's mothers weren't noted for beauty; beautiful women throughout history caused "more trouble than they were worth." The satire's point: homely women have been indispensable to human progress and society, while beauty is subjective ("only relative") and matters less than character or capability. The piece implicitly critiques both the anthropologists' pseudo-scientific sexism and the cultural obsession with female appearance. The surrounding ads (Mum deodorant, Carstairs Rye whiskey, Electric Vehicles) are period advertisements unrelated to the satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Mum” Use it every morning and be comfortable all day. By gently neutralizing them it prevents all odors such as that of perspiration. Harmless—scentless—stainless. “Mum’’ Mfg Co 1106 Chestnut St Philadelphia Anthropology and Homely . Women Man, from his earliest evolution, has shown a tendency to select the most beautiful females in marriage, while woman has been content with “any old face ".—London Globe. 'HE Globe explains that this is the theory advanced by the leading British anthropologists at a recent convention, We have never seen an anthropolo- gist; we cannot say what we might do if we were to meet one. We presume that there may be anthropologists who remotely resemble human beings; at any rate we trust that at this distance it will be safe for us to differ with any anthropologist who has solemnly, and All around town wherever men meet for social or business purposes Carstairs Rye has the “call.” It is a blend of choicest ryes. Aged in wood. The oldest whisk- ey in America. Pure, palatable, rich and mellow. The numbered label shows our bot- tling. Established 1788 fi Mi Electric Trucks for Every Service (O-DAY the Electric Truck is used in 125 different lines of trade —in 41 of the 48 states. It has followed the sun around the world and the faithful, efficient Electric is doing yeoman service in Canada, Cuba, England, Germany, China, South Africa, Brazil, Siam, Australia and the Phillipine Islands. From an engineering stand- point, it is conceded that the Electric is setting the pace in simplicity of design and construction—economy. Electric Trucks are cutting costs where hills are un- known as well as in such hilly centres as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Kansas City and San Francisco — efficiency. Send for this Book Today “The Story of the Electric Truck” The facts and figures that you want to know about the Electric Truck are contained in this beautifully printed book of 32 pages—yours on request. Cost of operation—actual photographs of newest model Electric Trucks. Send for it today. Kindly address Dept. T Electric Vehicle with the imposing dignity which every anthropologist should have, declared that only beautiful females are selected for marriage. The beauty of woman lies in the eye of man. Rousseau married a serv- ant. person. The mothers of the greatest men have not been generally noted for their beauty. Many of the most beauti- ful women in history appear to have caused a good deal more trouble than Dr. Johnson married a homely _ Association of America __j BOSTON _124W4ndSr. New York. they were worth. Their output has not conduced to the permanent elevation of mankind. Homely women, on other hand, have been indispensable. We have come to depend upon them the quality of largely to maintain people. Homely women are, of course, more numerous than beautiful women. after all, their homeliness is only rela- tive; it would not be conceded by the men who arc in love with them, comicbooks.com