But the insect-world is altogether a world of goblins and fairies: creatures with organs of which we cannot discover the use, and senses of which we cannot imagine the nature; creatures with myriads of eyes, or with eyes in their backs, or with eyes moving about at the ends of trunks and horns; creatures with ears in their legs and bellies, or with brains in their waists! If some of them happen to have voices outside of their bodies instead of inside, the fact ought not to surprise anybody.
As I continue to read Insect Literature by Lafcadio Hearn, I’m fascinated by his insight into insect life. He wrote in a time when insects in the western world were largely overlooked and even despised and yet, where he lived in Japan, perhaps because of the very different culture, he had a true appreciation for them. Not only did he observe their behavior and learn about their cultural significance, but he really saw the poetic side to the insects around him, to the point he was greatly distressed when one of his pet crickets died.
I like this quote because it illustrates how he combined his sense of wonder and appreciation of insect life with culture and folklore.
If you missed the first Insect Literature quote, you can find it here:
