The September 1916 issue included the first rough sketches that The Little Review published. These cartoons, by Heap, depicted Anderson's entertaining herself instead of editing in response to her threat in the August issue that she would not publish anything unless it was beautiful.

Under Jane Heap, The Little Review included more artwork like this work by Georges Braque.

Anderson's reflection on The Little Review’s conception:
"I have been curiously depressed all day. In the night, I wakened. First precise thought: I know why I'm depressed -- nothing inspired is going on. Second: I demand that life be inspired every moment. Third: the only way to guarantee this is to have inspired conversation every moment. Fourth: most people never get so far as conversation: they haven't the stamina, and there is no time. Fifth: if I had a magazine I could spend my time filling it up with the best conversation the world has to offer. Sixth: marvelous idea -- salvation. Seventh: decision to do it. Deep sleep."
(My Thirty Years' War)

Heap's Summary of The Little Review
"For years we offered the Little Review as a trial-track for racers. We hoped to find artists who could run with the great artists of the past or men who could make new records. But you can't get race horses from mules....
" We have given space in the Little Review to 23 new systems of art (all now dead), representing 19 countries. In all of this time we have not brought forward anything approaching a master piece except the "Ulysses" of Mr. Joyce. "Ulysses" will have to be the master-piece of this time. "
("Lost: A Renaissance," The Little Review, May 1929).

A Call to Write
“I have been realizing the ridiculous tragedy of The Little Review. It has been published for over two years without coming near its ideal. The ultimate reason for life is Art. Art uses up all life can give—and remains forever…. Well—I wanted art in The Little Review. There has been little of it, just a very little…It is tragic, I tell you…. Now we shall have Art in this magazine, or we shall stop publishing. I don’t care where it comes from—America or the South Sea Islands. I don’t care whether it’s brought by youth or age. I only want the miracle!

I loathe compromise, and yet I have been compromising in every issue by putting in things that were “almost good” or “interesting enough” or “important.” There will be no more of it. If there is only one beautiful thing for the September number it shall go in and the other pages will be left blank. Come on all of you!”
--Anderson, The Little Review, August 1916

Click on thumbnails for larger image

Compiled by Sabrina Rissing (Class of '06, Davidson College) and David Tulis (Class of '05, Davidson College).