The Wasp — 1879 — page 240: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based satirical essays** rather than cartoons. The main piece, "The Lie of Politeness and Vulgarity of Truth," critiques artificial social conventions and hypocrisy. The author argues that politeness functions as a mask obscuring reality, and that modern society prioritizes courteous fictions over honest truth-telling. The piece uses specific examples—a horseman's anecdote about a Persian official, references to "Madame d'Ponpadour"—to illustrate how people excuse rudeness and dishonesty when convenient. Small italicized witticisms appear throughout (about crabs, children, blind men), typical of *The Wasp's* satirical style. The overall message attacks Victorian-era social pretense, suggesting that civilization's "politeness" enables moral compromise and corruption. No clear political figures or dated events are identifiable on this page.