Life, 1920-04-08 · page 27 of 44
Life — April 8, 1920 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes St. John Ervine, an Irish author who published "Impressions of My Friends"—a series in an American periodical containing private recollections of conversations with the living W.B. Yeats. The article criticizes Ervine for violating the gentleman's code of discretion by publicly revealing Yeats's reportedly harsh judgments about their mutual acquaintances (Aubrey Beardsley, Oscar Wilde, Lionel Johnson, Ernest Dowson—members of the Rhymers' Club). The satire's point: Ervine violated social propriety by publishing Yeats's unflattering private remarks—particularly that these young friends "died of drink or went out of their minds"—while Yeats was still alive and unable to defend himself. The cartoon illustrates domestic friction resulting from such indiscreet gossiping, suggesting Ervine's behavior destroys relationships and trust.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Self-Exposure NCE upon a time it was held to be onc of the dis- tinetive characteristics of a gentleman that he did not © public the confidences he might receive in the privacy ricndship. The rule was relaxed only when the con had been long in his grave and when, therefore, there no indiscretion in recording his casual utterances. It vever relaxed while the confider was still living, more remarks credited to him ly when the were net itable to him. Certain things have bap dof late to make us wonder whether this lard of g feeling is wd taste and kindly danger of falling inte innocuous desu heeause of the constraint it puts upon who like to stand up in the mar ace to retail titte-tattle. One of ys that have happened is th cation in an American periodical series of “Impressions: of My “by Mr. St.John Ervine, author Johs nstal that masterpiece of n, In two successive of his indiseretions, Mr. St ving us his talks with Ir, W.B. Yeats, blazoning to the pubs Ervine is frank llections of his famili eta few opinions which Mr. Yeats I probably no intention of proclaim: ing now. Mr. Yeats is not dead y fact, he is alive in the flesh and in ese United i States, where Mr. St “RUN OUTSIDE, WILLIE, TIWINT Love AND DUTY” meeting him. It Yeats John Ervine is in imminent danger of ppears from Mr. St. John Ervine’s paper that Mr numbered among his carly friends Aubrey Beardsley and Wilde, certain members of the Oscar Lionel Johnson and) Ernest Dowson, and And Mr. St Ervine tells us that Mr. Yeats said to him that most of these Rhymers’ Cluth, John young friends of his youth “died of drink or went out of their minds.” Apparentiy Mr. Yeats, when he was a man, was neither judicions nor particular in selecting his associates. Apparently, atse, ue has net learned wisdom with the years. FATHER 1S GOING TO TRY ANU comicbooks.com