The Wasp — 1879 — page 212: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel satirical comic depicts clergymen behaving badly. The title suggests mockery of religious hypocrisy—pastors who preach virtue while indulging in vice. The panels show: - **Top**: Physical comedy and rough behavior - **Middle-left**: Men operating what appears to be a gambling or fortune-telling device - **Middle-right**: A crowd scene, possibly depicting a pastor addressing followers - **Bottom-left**: Men riding animals (possibly donkeys), suggesting foolishness or degradation - **Bottom-right**: Men chasing or playing with what appears to be a large circular object The satire targets clergy members for hypocrisy—preaching morality while engaging in gambling, deception, and undignified conduct. The crude, exaggerated caricatures emphasize the gap between their public religious authority and private misconduct. This reflects 19th-century American skepticism toward institutional religion and clerical corruption.