ORIGIN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1924, Page 1

ORIGIN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

SIR A. CONAN DOYI.K’S ROOK Of AN KODt >TKS.

LONDON, September 29.

“ I have bad a 1 ilo which, for variety and romance, could. I think hardly lie exceeded,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle says in prefacing liis “ Memories and Advent itrcs.” In evolving “Sherlock,” Sir Arthur

I thought my old teacher. Joe Hell, (surgeon at the Kdinbtirgh ! ntirmary), of his eagle face, ol liis curious ways, of his eerie' trick of spotting details. If he were a detective he Would surely reduce this fascinating but unorganised business to something nearer to an exact science. I would try il I could gel Ibis cllVct. Tb" idea amused Ml". Una! should I call the fellow? Kiisl it. was Sherrington! Holmes: then it was Sherlock Holmes. ItllL his classic of detective lie! ion was hard to place. One publisher ‘‘returned it unread. . . Two or three others sniffed and turned away.” LORD K IT( 11 KNKIi.

Relating liis experiences ill the South African War. Sir Ariliur tells Ibis story:

In organisation Kilelieiier was inhuman in liis cool accuracy. “ Regret lo report great dynamite explosion. Forty knliirs killed." was the report, of one ollieer. "Do you need more dynamite ’’ was the answering telegram from. Lord Kitchener.

After a conversation Sir Arthur jotted down a lew 01. Roosevelt s racy sayings:

Of the German Kmpernr he said that be was jealous ol tin' King’s (I'.dward V | IV) ,|,ig (Caesar) at I lie King’s fun ei-al because lie attracted the more notice.

11l a delightful chanter about ” Notable people,” he says : If i had to make my choice among model'll stylists, I should pick Barrie for the lighter forms of expression and our British Winston Churchill for the more classical.

He goes on to say: " Maxwell's work has always greatly appealed to me, and I have long looked upon him as the greatest novelist wo possess.”

TIIK KING'S VOYACK. Of the " royal memory" he recalls a striking instance. At one ol Si i'll only Thompson’s famous “octave” dinners the King, then Prince of Wales, “was one of the eight, and gave us a most interesting account ol the voyage round the world from which he had just returned.” Twenty years later I met the King when he visited a trade exhibition. He at once said: “ Why, 1 have not seen you since that pleasant dinner when you sat next to me at Sir Henry Thompson’s.’ In his recollections of spoil Sir Arthur expi esses this not aide opinion:

After the Great War, one can see that those of us who worked for the revival of boxing wrought better than we knew, for at the supreme test of all time—the test which has settled the historv of the future—it has played a marked part . . - H'*’. halive spirit and aggressive qiiU'kness gave us the attacking lire and helped especial!v in bayonet work. The last chapter deals with the “ phsvchie quest.” Rutting the question :And what is to be the end of it all 0 ” Sir Arthur’s reply is: I have no idea, llow could those who first noted the electric twitching of muscles forsee the Atlantic cable or the are lamp? Our information is that some great shock is emning short|V to the human race which will hnally break down its apathy, and which will he accompanied by such psychic, signs that the survivors will he unable to d.'iiv the truths which we preach.