Elizabeth > Elizabeth's Quotes

“Dr. Watson's summary list of Sherlock Holmes's strengths and weaknesses:

"1. Knowledge of Literature: Nil.
2. Knowledge of Philosophy: Nil.
3. Knowledge of Astronomy: Nil.
4. Knowledge of Politics: Feeble.
5. Knowledge of Botany: Variable. Well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally. Knows nothing of practical gardening.
6. Knowledge of Geology: Practical but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other. After walks has shown me splashes upon his trousers, and told me by their colour and consistence in what part of London he had received them.
7. Knowledge of Chemistry: Profound.
8. Knowledge of Anatomy: Accurate but unsystematic.
9. Knowledge of Sensational Literature: Immense. He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.
10. Plays the violin well.
11. Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman.
12. Has a good practical knowledge of British law.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet

“I wanted to end the world, but I'll settle for ending yours.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

“From the first day I met her, she was the only woman to me. Every day of that voyage I loved her more, and many a time since have I kneeled down in the darkness of the night watch and kissed the deck of that ship because I knew her dear feet had trod it. She was never engaged to me. She treated me as fairly as ever a woman treated a man. I have no complaint to make. It was all love on my side, and all good comradeship and friendship on hers. When we parted she was a free woman, but I could never again be a free man.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

“It's quite exciting," said Sherlock Holmes, with a yawn.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet, A Study in Scarlet

“I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

“presume nothing”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles

“To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen.... And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1

“Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old loves are the worst.”
― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes

“No: I am not tired. I have a curious constitution. I never remember feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely." ~ Sherlock Holmes”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four

“No man burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some very good reason for doing so.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet

“By George!" cried the inspector. "How did you ever see that?"

Because I looked for it.”
― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Dancing Men

“Everything I have to say has already crossed your mind."
"Then possibly my answer has crossed yours.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

“Life, it turns out, is infinitely more clever and adaptable than anyone had ever supposed.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

“There are heroisms all round us waiting to be done.”
― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

“You would not call me a marrying man, Watson?"
"No, indeed!"
"You'll be interested to hear that I'm engaged."
"My dear fellow! I congrat-"
"To Milverton's housemaid."
"My dear Holmes!"
"I wanted information, Watson.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

“By the way, Doctor, I shall want your cooperation.'
'I shall be delighted.'
'You don't mind breaking the law?'
'Not in the least.'
'Nor running a chance of arrest?'
'Not in a good cause.'
'Oh, the cause is excellent!'
'Then I am your man.'
'I was sure that I might rely on you.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Scandal in Bohemia

“I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of daily life.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

“You know my methods. Apply them.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four

“Data!data!data!" he cried impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Copper Beeches - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story

“The devil’s agents may be of flesh and blood, may they not?”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles

“…but it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Man with the Twisted Lip - a Sherlock Holmes Short Story

“A study in scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon? There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I

“We can but try.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

“I suppose I shall have to compound a felony, as usual.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle

“It is more than possible; it is probable.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

“One must wait till it comes.”
― Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World

“His Ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet

“To begin at the beginning.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet

“Oh how I've missed you, Holmes.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes

“You mentioned your name as if I should recognize it, but beyond the obvious facts that you are a bachelor, a solicitor, a freemason, and an asthmatic, I know nothing whatever about you.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes