Judge — December 1887 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a Christmas-themed moral lesson from *Judge* magazine presented as an illustrated poem. The image shows an elderly figure (appears to be Father Time or a sage) seated on the left, addressing two younger people standing on the right, with a mirror visible in the scene. The text is a cautionary verse advising youth to embrace virtue while young—to avoid becoming "backward-looking," "worldly," or spiritually blind as they age. Key themes include warnings against pride, worldliness, and losing one's moral compass. The poem suggests that youth offers a window for moral development before "tenderness of eye" and spiritual awareness fade. This represents *Judge*'s characteristic moralizing tone, mixing Victorian-era sentimentality with social commentary. The work likely reflects turn-of-the-century anxieties about youth morality and the corrupting influences of modern society, a common concern in period satirical magazines.