Sherlock Holmes discussion

"My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don't know."

-Sherlock Holmes
-The Blue Carbuncle

"There is nothing like firsthand evidence."
-Sherlock Holmes
-A Study in Scarlet

"When you have eliminated the impossible, the remaining, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

I love that one. That's my motto. :)

"You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear."
-Sherlock Holmes
-A Scandal in Bohemia

Ahh, love that one. I just love Sherlock Holmes.

Ditto :)

"You know my methods, Watson."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Crooked Man

"I never guess. It is a shocking habit--destructive to the logical faculty."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Sign of the Four
-Ch.1: The Science of Deduction

"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Boscombe Valley Mystery

"You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of trifles."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Boscombe Valley Mystery

""Excellent!" I cried.
"Elementary," said he."
-Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson
-The Crooked Man

"I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Sign of the Four
-Ch.1: The Science of Deduction

"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."

(Sherlock Holmes)

Love that one. :)

"I cannot live without brainwork. What else is there to live for?"
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Sign of the Four

''I never make exceptions. An exception disproves the rule.''

(Sherlock Holmes)
The Sign of Four

:D

I never undrestood that. because he always makes exceptions

What does he mean by exceptions?

I thought that you know this quote, it's very famous.

I thought I did too. But now that I contemplate it, I don't remember this from The Sign of the Four.

I finished The sign of the Four this week and yes this quote is in there.
I remember it because I had to stop and think about it. Nowadays people say "the exception that proves the rule", but of course this is not true.

"I had no ideas that such individuals existed outside of stories."
-Dr. John Watson
-A Study in Scarlet
-Chapter 1: Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Irony or something there. XD Fav. Watson quote! :D

"To Sherlock Holmes, she is always the woman."
-Dr. John Watson
-A Scandal in Bohemia
-Chapter 1

"My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for which it was built."
-Sherlock Holmes
-The Man with the Twisted Lip

"There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before."
-Sherlock Holmes
-A Study in Scarlet

"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
-Sherlock Holmes
-A Scandal in Bohemia

"'Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?'

'To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.'

'The dog did nothing in the night-time.'

'That was the curious incident,' remarked Sherlock Holmes.'"

-Exchange between Inspector Gregory & Sherlock Holmes
-The Silver Blaze

'They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains,' he remarked with a smile. 'It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-A Study in Scarlet

'So silent and furtive were his movements, like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law instead of exerting them in its defense.'

-Dr. Watson
-The Sign of Four
-Chapter 6: "Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration"

'What one man can invent another can discover.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-The Adventure of the Dancing Man

'The emotional qualities are atagonistic to clear reasoning.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-The Sign of Four

'This fellow may be very clever.' I said to myself, 'but he is certainly very conceited.'

-Dr. John Watson
-A Study in Scarlet
Chapter 2: "The Science of Deduction"

'I confess that I have been blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-The Man with the Twisted Lip

'I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands on it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend uon it - there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-A Study in Scarlet

'It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-A Case of Identity

'When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge.'

-Sherlock Holmes
-The Adventure of the Speckled Band

"Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!"
-Sir Henry Baskerville, The Hound of the Baskervilles

One of my favorite stories. :)))

I'm halfway through it now, I watched the BBC episode first and I wanted to know what created the hound in the book. Please, nobody ruin this for me, it's one of the few books my friend hasn't read before me and spoiled for me and I am determined to find out what happens for myself!

Good for you! :) Do enjoy it!

I don't know if this is actually in any books, but it's an awesome quote from the BBC series.
"All lives end. All hearts are broken. Caring is not an advantage." -Mycroft Holmes, A Scandal In Belgravia

It can't be in A Scandal in Bohemia, because Mycroft wasn't in that story. But I dunno. Maybe someone else said it. I really like that quote.

I think Mycroft still said it, but in a different story, sometimes quotes from the books don't match up with the BBC version. But maybe it's one of their own.

Could be. After all, they are geniuses over there. :)))

"Sherlock Holmes was a man who seldom took exercise for exercise's sake. Few men were capable of greater muscular effort, and he was undoubtedly one of the finest boxers of his weight that I have ever seen; but he looked upon aimless bodily exertion as a waste of energy, and he seldom bestirred himself save when there was some professional object to be served. Then he was absolutely untiring and indefatigable. That he should have kept himself in training under such circumstances is remarkable, but his diet was usually of the sparest, and his habits were simple to the verge of austerity. Save for the occasional use of cocaine, he had no vices, and he only turned to the drug as a protest against the monotony of existence when cases were scanty and the papers uninteresting."
-Observation by Watson
-The Yellow Face

"My dear Mr. Grant Munro--" began Holmes.

'Our visitor sprang from his char. "What!" he cried, "You know my name?"

"If you wish to preserve your incognito,' said Holmes, smiling, "I would suggest that you cease to write your name upon the lining of your hat, or else that you turn the crown towards the person whom you are addressing."'
-Holmes and Mr. Grant Monroe
-The Yellow Face

"You are Holmes, the meddler."
My friend smiled.
"Holmes, the busybody!"
His smile broadened.
"Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!"
Holmes chuckled heartily.

-The Adventure of the Speckled Band