The Wasp — 1879 — page 334: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp's* Christmas issue features humorous editorial content about noses. The left column discusses the nose's importance to the human face and character, establishing a philosophical tone typical of Victorian-era satirical magazines. The right side contains illustrated character studies of different nose types, each with accompanying captions offering satirical commentary on personality and social class—a popular 19th-century practice of reading character from physical features (physiognomy). The scattered quotations at bottom (e.g., "A crying evil—a teething baby") appear to be holiday joke submissions from readers, a common feature in period magazines. The overall tone is light satire mixing pseudo-scientific observation with genteel humor appropriate for holiday publication.