The Wasp — 1878 — page 315: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel satirical sequence follows "Mr. Muggins" on a beach outing. The humor operates on two levels: **Surface level:** A fat, pompous gentleman attempts a swimming excursion while his dog Growler steals his clothes. Comic mishaps ensue—Muggins bathes obliviously while Growler naps among the garments. **Satirical level:** The cartoon mocks Victorian bourgeois pretension and vanity. Muggins's elaborate concern with appearance (entrusting a servant "Growler" with his "voluminous garments") contrasts absurdly with his vulnerability and the dog's indifference. The final panel promises continued humiliation next week. The "dog days" title puns on both the canine antagonist and the phrase for summer's hottest period—when supposedly people behave foolishly. Muggins exemplifies this foolishness through vanity and poor judgment.