The Wasp — January 10, 1880 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page features a political cartoon titled "FORGE OF EXAMPLE—PUBLIC GAMBLING AND IT MUST COME" (text reads vertically on left margin). The cartoon depicts a figure at a forge/anvil, appearing to hammer or shape something. The imagery suggests the "forge" as a metaphor for creating or shaping society through example. The reference to "public gambling" indicates this satirizes how public figures or institutions engaged in gambling were setting a dangerous moral example for citizens, particularly young people. The cartoon likely critiques either a specific politician, wealthy businessman, or government body whose gambling habits were seen as hypocritical—preaching virtue while practicing vice. The "forge" metaphor emphasizes how such public behavior fundamentally shapes societal morals, creating a harmful precedent that ordinary citizens would follow. The exact figures remain unclear without additional context about The Wasp's publication date and contemporary scandals.