The Wasp — 1880 — page 174: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains literary content rather than cartoons. It presents "The Book of the Children of Samuel," Chapter XI, which satirizes the power of newspapers and their editors in late 19th-century society. The text mocks how newspapers shaped public opinion and how editors wielded influence like authority figures. It suggests editors acted as gatekeepers of information, controlling what citizens knew. The passage criticizes both the editors' power and the public's gullibility in believing printed content. The page also includes "The Lion's Bride" poem and "To Mrs. ___" verses addressing female virtue and behavior—typical Victorian-era moral commentary dressed in satirical form. Overall, this represents *The Wasp*'s editorial satire targeting media influence and social hypocrisy rather than visual caricature.