The Wasp — 1914 — page 266: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page reproduces a letter from James Burnham to his brother Alexander. The text reveals satirical content through Burnham's backhanded remarks about Elizabeth Nash, whom he describes as "beautiful and clever, but of too superior a type of woman to greatly appeal to me. My tastes are low, and that's the truth." The satire targets Burnham's self-aware admission of his own inferior tastes and social position. He also announces his career shift from the family's rum and sugar export business to maritime work, framing this as more suited to his "inherited talents." The letter's tone—falsely humble and self-deprecating—suggests *The Wasp* is mocking Burnham's pretense and social climbing, using his own words to expose his character flaws and contradictions.