The Wasp — 1879 — page 366: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main illustration shows a large wasp carrying away what appears to be a soup tureen, labeled "CORRESPONDENCE." This is a visual pun on *The Wasp* magazine itself—the publication's mascot/symbol (the wasp) is humorously "stealing" reader correspondence, suggesting the magazine receives and publishes many letters. The text includes satirical "Answers to Correspondents"—mock replies to submitted questions. These ridicule various topics: religious observance, soup recipes, geological discoveries, and social pretensions. The humor targets both the letter-writers' trivial concerns and broader social absurdities. The page exemplifies *The Wasp*'s format: combining illustrated satire with pointed commentary on everyday life and contemporary foibles, inviting readers to recognize themselves as targets of gentle ridicule.