The Wasp — 1879 — page 687: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page addresses "The Eleventh Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Eat," criticizing what appears to be a religious or civic order restricting business activities on Sundays and Saturdays. The engraving shows a child eating from a pot—likely illustrating the commandment's ironic message: that people (especially the poor and working classes) are being told not to eat, or that food commerce is being prohibited during rest days. The text discusses bakeries and journeymen bakers, suggesting the satire targets laws preventing Sunday labor and commerce. The author argues these restrictions harm working-class people—bakers, grocers, and others—who need to work to survive. The satire implies the "commandment" is hypocritical, as it effectively denies sustenance to those dependent on daily labor for food.