The Wasp — 1895 — page 806: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two figures in what appears to be a drawing room. The caption suggests a conversation between Mr. Hasleigh and Miss Dashlys about a singer named Miss Warble. Mr. Hasleigh remarks that Miss Warble will become popular, while Miss Dashlys expresses skepticism—she thought "no one could persuade her to sing." Hasleigh's response, "That's what I understand, too," implies the joke: Miss Warble's *reluctance* to perform is precisely what will make her popular. This satirizes society's attraction to exclusivity and difficult personalities. The wealthy or artistic elite gain status partly through being hard to access or persuade. The humor lies in the backwards logic that refusing to do something makes one more desirable.