Life, 1923-01-11 · page 3 of 36
Life — January 11, 1923 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The left page contains "An Ode to Diagnosis," a satirical poem by C.P.I. mocking literary criticism of the era. It critiques intellectuals who diagnose writers' psychological flaws—attributing their work to Freudian complexes, thyroid conditions, or other pseudo-scientific explanations rather than evaluating the writing itself. References to "Euripides," "Bacon," and "Pegasus" invoke classical literature, while mentions of "Symbols of the Sleeper" and "Jungsters" likely reference Freudian and Jungian psychology trends popular in the 1920s. The satire suggests critics obsess over authors' mental states rather than artistic merit. The right page shows a shoe photograph and contains an advertisement for Life magazine's subscription service, featuring a cherub illustration and promoting their "Laugh on Every Page."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE - 1 An Ode to Diagnosis N nicer days a poet’s lays were naively applauded I Or we twittered at embittered cynic wights, We heard with awe the word of Shaw, or Lesser Brains without the Law, And the antics of Romantics were delights. We never chid what writers did within the realms subliminal ; How they roistered when thus cloistered no one cared Until we learned that all our Art was crassly criminal at heart, \Vhen the Motives of the Masters had been bared. We hold the keys to what disease afflicted poor Euripides, \nd minus his complexes, Dante wasn’t worth a damn; We don’t yet know whose libido set Avon’s brilliant Bard aglow t Brilling ovér Bacon may explain the Famous Ham. Show the hyper-cultured classes any poet on Pegasus, 1 after flings at equine wings they'll walk away annoyed, For their prompt protest, of course, is that aeroplaning horses Should be stabled with the fables by a veterinary Freud. Yet to-day they’re digging deeper than the Symbols of the Sleeper, \ud the Jungsters are rejected as the merest pioneers. Now they'll measure any artist’s skull, to tell you if his talent’s null— \nd they fit a writer’s mitre tz the dome above his ears. A poet with a soaring pate may hope to be the laureate— \n honor only Nordics may attain— But the mad pursuit of beauty must be futile in its booty If he’s got the wrong container for his brain. He'd be writing better sonnets if he needed bigger bonnets As a baby—which is maybe sadly true; He'd have been a finer scrivener if his mother could have given her lime to ouservations in the Zoo. And still another critic school will demonstrate a man’s the tool Of Destiny secreted by his interstitial glands, it it’s Thyroid, not Thesaurus, which may titillate or bore us Vhen we hold a brand-new novel in our hands. let’s Havelock for Ellis and this other jealous crew! et us twine again the laurel and the bay! Forget a ditty’s just a gland—have pity, give a guy a hand: And gather your Neuroses while ye may! C. P. I. Really Astonishing Teacner: Now, children, tell me the most wonderful thing you know.’ ‘NY (earnestly): How my papa can make a living for our family. QA is interesting to know \that the inest English boot- makers are advo- ing more than -ver the use of shoe hooks for men’s’ footwear, ‘ “A well written Life is almost as rare as a well spent one.” Life on the contrary tries to pre- sent a well written LIFE every week, while his sub- scribers will qualify as to the well spent. They certainly are cultured, charitable, well informed people, who take an in- terest in public affairs, and show that normal habit of cheerfulness to be ex- pected in view of Lire’s Laugh on Every Page. Better join our association for a year and see for yourself, or try our Special Offer Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.20, Foreign $1.40). Send Lire for the next ten weeks to Essays. Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed at this rate. LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York One year $5 Canadian $5.80 Foreign $6.60 (ny comicbooks.com