The Wasp — April 10, 1880 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Page 598 from The Wasp This page features a scene illustration from Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" at the top, depicting period-costumed figures in what appears to be a dramatic confrontation. The text below discusses a monkey that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children had seized and placed in their care. The satire criticizes the Society's perceived overreach—the author argues they focus excessively on minor animal welfare issues while ignoring serious human suffering in overcrowded tenements. The critique appears to be that the organization prioritizes charitable publicity (caring for a "Zip" monkey) over addressing genuine poverty and neglect among city children. The author questions whether such theatrical charity efforts represent genuine compassion or merely self-serving organizational expansion.