The Wasp — 1881 — page 332: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based content** rather than illustrated cartoons. It contains: 1. **Letters to the editor** on various San Francisco civic issues, including street nomenclature complaints and a debate about renaming streets after women 2. **"The Devil's Dictionary"** — a recurring satirical feature defining words mockingly (here defining "Bacchus," "Bachelor," "Back-slide," etc.) 3. **Poetry and verse**, including pieces titled "On His Ear," "Renaming Streets," and "The Sublime Liberty Singer" The letters and verses critique local San Francisco governance and social pretensions. The Devil's Dictionary entries use humor to deflate pompous definitions of concepts like beauty, devotion, and propriety. Without visible illustrations, the satire operates through **witty wordplay and ironic commentary** on 1880s San Francisco urban politics and society rather than visual caricature.