Life, 1914-05-14 · page 34 of 44
Life — May 14, 1914 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes advertisements with satirical editorial content typical of Life magazine's format. **"An Extraordinary Confession"** satirizes Professor George Saintsbury's preface to "The English Novel," where he claims to have taken care writing the book. Life's editors mock this as absurd—in modern times, authors allegedly never take pains with their work. The joke hinges on Saintsbury being naive enough to confess such unusual diligence in print, and the editors sardonically suggest he'd have been embarrassed had he realized anyone would actually read his preface (a jab at how few people read prefaces, except those by George Bernard Shaw). **"A Natural Transition"** is a humorous poem about marriage: the honeymoon phase of "billing and cooing" gives way to the husband's dull mind filling with care while babies coo and creditors demand billing—a common satirical trope about marital disillusionment. The page otherwise contains travel and luxury advertisements (Delaware & Hudson railroad, Biltmore Hotel, Cascade Whisky, Capewell horse nails) typical of Life's revenue model.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Great Events In A Summer Paradise JULY—Regatta and International Motor Boat Races on famous Lake George. AUGUST—Brilliant Saratoga season. Racing—health springs — gathering of noted personalities. SEPTEMBER — Centenary celebra- tion of battles of Lake Champlain and Plattsburg. Big military man- oeuvres and historical pageants, Delaware & Hudson Service is the gateway to one of America’s rarest playgrounds where these events take place. This surpassing region embraces the Adirondacks, Lakes George and Champlain, Lake Placid, Saratoga, jperstown and Au Sable Chasm, Hotel and inn ac- commodations of highest character. “D & H™ luxuriously appointed through trains leave Grand Central ‘erminal, New York. Connections with Hudson River Boat Lines at Albany and Troy. “‘A Summer Paradise ’’—300 page book, illustrated— tells where to go and what it will cost. Interesting and above all, helpful. Mailed for 6 cents in stamps. A.A. HEARD, G.P.A.,Albany,N.Y. New York City Information Bureau Dail RAIL AND STEAMER LINES Zari ae 00 An Extraordinary Confession E have always been fond of con- fessions, and are familiar with most of those that have been printed, not to speak of many private affairs of unusual interest. It is, therefore, with some pleasure that we record a new confession which has recently come under our observation; one so extraor- dinary that it needs to be lifted up into the realm of conscious publicity. We take this from the preface of a book entitled, “The English Novel”, hy George Saintsbury. Professor Saintsbury’s confession is as follows: “T may perhaps add, without propriety, that the composition of this book has not been hurried, and that I have taken all the pains I could.” In these days, for any author to state that he has taken pains with his work is assuredly an extraordinary confession. It can only be explained on the basis that Professor Saints- bury relies upon the well-known law applicable to the literature of the present day, that nobody ever reads prefaces except those which are writ- ten by George Bernard Shaw. If Pro- fessor Saintsbury had realized that almost by accident his admirable books might fall into our hands, and that we should thus call attention to his idio- syncrasy, he would probably have been more cautious in his statement. We may even fancy seeing him blush upon reading the reproduction of his con- A Natural Transition E sighs to think of when he wed, With honeymoon ensuing, And of the happy life he led, A-billing and a-cooing. For since, alas, a change has come, NEW YORK America’s Latest and Most Refined, and New York's Centermost Hotel Only hotel occupying an. entire city block. — Vanderbilt and Madison Aves., 43d and 44th Sts., adj ing Grand Central T 1900 rooms, 930 with sath— Rates from $2.50 per day. Suites from 2 to 1s rooms for permanent occupancy. Large ‘and small ball, banquet and dining salons and suites specially arranged for public of private functions. Gustav Baumann, Pres, John McE. Bowman Vice-Pres. +7 tm A CASCADE PURE WHISKY The Reason Why Intent?on—material—skill—time. This is the whole secret of Cascade's genuine superiority. Orginal bottling hav old gold label Geo. A. Dickel & Co., Distillers Nashville, Tenn. 199 Horse “Capewell ails The best horse nail in the world at a fair price—not the cheapest regardless of jails with the check mark on the head hold best. They are safe, too. — Dull care his mind is filling; The babies do the cooing now, His creditors—the billing. “A FOUNTAIN-PEN” comicbooks.com