Genre:

Introduction, Drollery; Letter, Spoof

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Illustrators:

T Hood / J Scott

Subjects:

Entomology, Societies, Horticulture, Natural History

    Hood introduces this spoof correspondence claiming that 'Hitchin Hall will probably remind the reader of an Insect Hospital, at Surat, described by Lieutenant Burnes; it was evidently a House, whose members would have voted unanimously for the admission of a few Destructives' (82). From the correspondence it transpires that Hitchin Hall was formerly 'in the occupation of the Hitchin Entomological Society; and the secretary, who was very curious in keeping and breeding all sorts of insects, resided on the premises' (88). The new tenants are plagued with insects, and with newts that come to feed on them; even the garden is alive with insects, and lighting the stoves in the hothouses hatches out swarms of them. The illustration captioned 'What Are You Hat!' (81) depicts a well-dressed man trampling flowers as he attempts to swat a flying insect with his hat, observed by a gardener. The illustration captioned 'Jessie's Gleanings in Natural History' (facing 84) depicts a woman on a stool looking through the contents of her sack, which include several bones and what appears to be a dead cat. The illustration captioned 'It's a Mere Flea-Bite' (facing 87) depicts a man jumping out of his chair as he is bitten on the cheek by an insect almost half his height. The illustration captioned 'Hen-Tomology' (88) depicts a hen about to devour an insect.