The Wasp — 1877 — page 94: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a **humor column** rather than political satire. The illustration shows a woman at a desk labeled "ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS," receiving manuscript submissions from a man—a visual representation of how the magazine solicited reader contributions. The accompanying text shows exchanges between editors and correspondents debating manuscript quality, length, and subject matter. References include Shakespeare's "Antiquities of Literature" and disputes over whether certain pieces suit the publication's format. The satire targets **verbose amateur writers** who submit oversized manuscripts and the editors' burden managing submissions. One notable exchange mocks linguistic pretension—someone claiming to speak "English" while using affected German dialect. This reflects 19th-century magazine culture and reader participation in publishing.