Judge, 1885-10-24 · page 5 of 16
Judge — October 24, 1885 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **P.T. Barnum's traveling circus**, mocking both the exotic attractions and the wealthy patrons who gawk at them. The cartoon critiques the era's obsession with human curiosities and "freak shows." The illustrated performers include: a "Living Skeleton," a tattooed man, a "Giantess" in gaudy costume, and a "Circassian" woman from Eastern Europe (presented as exotic). The text mocks Barnum's marketing genius while ridiculing society's fascination with these displays. A key joke: the verse sardonically suggests that viewing circus performers—people reduced to spectacle due to poverty or misfortune—is morally uplifting compared to actual charitable work. The closing lines name Barnum a "Prince of Showmen," praising his "traveling circus" while implying his success comes from exploiting human suffering for entertainment and profit. The satire targets both Barnum's showmanship and the hypocrisy of audiences who view themselves as cultured while consuming such exploitation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AT THE CIRCUS. To the interests of his patrons Barnum is never blind, He ruas the best museum that you anywhere can find, Filled with rare and cu {every name and kind gand amusing and i 0 the mind tping calculator And a pi ator That an Upon platform the show has just bet With the Leopard boy from Asia and the Living Skeleton even has the bulge, 1 his lady visitor—in very solemn to’ That he often laid aside bis flesh and cooled of you see, on Sidney Sinith (not Jones) his bones. Amd then the monstrous Giantess, lookii In a dress of gold and tinsel that has ¢ s0 fat and flabby ywn extremely shabby. e cannot keep from think Of the well-known scriptural 7 And, if that statement is correct If crops should fail, the elep! eaze upon the ma sure as w s need never want their dinners! ers And Captain Costententius, the That splendid mous tattooed man, Jeconative plan THE JUDGE, that says, ** ADL flesh is grass!” ‘The poor had been shipwrecked, when far away at sea, And rescued by some savages in cightect And the wretches then adorned hin—ju With a cuticle So beautiful yothree, the pictures shows him— His mother wouldn't know him. Reclining on a divan, ng the other males, tess silver Is the wone Fatin We stand and ga ny chin and nj fork strapped to his toes. it must b with envy thinkin; In this world of work and worry to b sweet making both ends meet! And the beautifal Circassian from the countries of the East Whe ried little bet Whe sacred to be lig’ And any lonely bachelor can get a wife for gold. We wonder why the who travel half their lives Have never loved th tirls and brought them home as wives. conclude they'y For a very obvious umerous philanthropists on this terrestrial ball ¢ their whole existence to the good of one and all Tut these public benefae Re-ide the Pr With his rst class, travelling cireus in the Spring and carly Fall em infinitely small of Showmen—whose virtues Textol— WM. ALB. comicbooks.com