Life, 1916-07-13 · page 24 of 40
Life — July 13, 1916 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This humorous essay attacks the transparent envelope as a romantic and social nuisance for upper-class men. The satire's point: transparent envelopes have eliminated the thrill of mail by making bills immediately visible, destroying the anticipation and imagination that once accompanied opening correspondence. The author laments that before transparent envelopes, a man couldn't distinguish between a bill from his wife's lingerie purchases or a letter from his broker—creating delicious uncertainty. Now, transparent envelopes contain "nothing except bills," reducing mail to dull financial documents. The accompanying photograph labeled "The Unknown Language" appears to show someone examining or reading papers, visually reinforcing the theme of mail and correspondence. The essay concludes with a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that transparent envelopes be legally restricted to campaign literature only—a mild jab at political mail. The satire reflects early 20th-century anxieties about modern conveniences eroding romance and imagination from everyday life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Transparent Envelopes HE transparent envelope has been a great factor in driving romance from the life of the upper classes. Un- til recently the average person was in- capable of differentiating between an envelope containing a bill for French lingerie which his wife purchased four months ago and one containing a chatty personal letter from his broker informing him that it might be a good idea to put up an additional five points Sent 3 peek priate k & margin. The mail on the first of the ° month looked as interesting as a three- ring circus; and whether an envelope contained a bill or an avuncular be- quest, an imaginative man was thrilled with anticipation when he hunted for a weak spot at which he could start to rip it open. The transparent envelope changed all this, It is now a recog- nized fact that transparent envelopes seldom contain anything except bills. A heap of mail largely composed of transparent envelopes is as devoid of thrills as is a Chinese laundry check. It wrecks the imagination and pro- lO" THE UNKNOWN LANGUAGE The fact that divi- cral welfare of the human race, we ssionally arrive in suggest that transparent envelopes be “ pes does not suffice restricted by law to the carrying of ‘se. Indeed, it fre- campaign literature. he dividend checks K. L. Roberts. vened, together with Senos ing great annoyance ted. In the interests REEDOM is a good servant but a nation and the gen- bad master, comicbooks.com