The Wasp — 1878 — page 78: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains a **"Answers to Correspondents"** advice column rather than a political cartoon. It features the magazine's masthead ("Answer to Correspondents") with decorative typography. The column addresses reader inquiries on miscellaneous topics: the benefits of Arctic exploration, proper etiquette for returning lost stock certificates, and whether mutton chops grow behind sheep's ears. Other letters discuss a longship journey (presented as poetry) and romantic/domestic matters. The satire appears gentle and humorous rather than overtly political—typical of a 19th-century satirical magazine's miscellaneous content. The absurdist questions (sheep anatomy) suggest readers were sometimes joking or testing the editors' responses, allowing The Wasp to display wit through its answers.