The Wasp — 1879 — page 577: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page reproduces a scene from Shakespeare's *Measure for Measure*, showing what appears to be a theatrical staging of the play. The illustration depicts several figures in period costume in an indoor setting. The accompanying text discusses the play's moral themes—particularly criticisms of hypocrisy and abuse of authority—while also making broader satirical observations about philanthropy, charity work, and social institutions in the contemporary era. The text references the "Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children" and critiques both its methods and the broader charitable landscape, suggesting that well-intentioned organizations sometimes enabled dependency rather than genuine independence. Without clearer identification of specific contemporary figures or events referenced in the accompanying text, the exact satirical targets remain unclear beyond general social commentary on Victorian-era charity work.