It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubbable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one.’
Hello Watsonians—
We invite you to participate in this edition of The Diogenes Club Quick Quote Quiz. As always, this little game requires no submission of answers to anyone—you are playing against yourself and the clock; it is not necessary for anyone else to take the least notice of what you do.
To play along:
–Read the quote from the Canon provided below.
–As quickly as you can, identify the speaker and the adventure featuring the quote.
–Note how long it took you to arrive at the answer.
–Scroll down a few inches to see if you have the correct answer.
–Leave a note in the comments, if you wish, about your answer and your time.
Ron Lies/ JHWS ‘Chips’
Margie Deck/JHWS ‘Mopsy’
Quick Quote Quiz 6/12/2018: Sherlock Holmes said or wrote ‘my dear Watson’ some 89 times. In one instance, he wrote it twice in the same note. Which note? Which adventure?
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Answer: Holmes’s Goodbye note to Watson, FINA
My DEAR WATSON, he said, I write these few lines through the courtesy of Mr Moriarty, who awaits my convenience for the final discussion of those questions which lie between us. He has been giving me a sketch of the methods by which he avoided the English police and kept himself informed of our movements. They certainly confirm the very high opinion which I had formed of his abilities. I am pleased to think that I shall be able to free society from any further effects of his presence, though I fear that it is at a cost which will give pain to my friends, and especially, my dear Watson, to you. I have already explained to you, however, that my career had in any case reached its crisis, and that no possible conclusion to it could be more congenial to me than this. Indeed, if I may make a full confession to you, I was quite convinced that the letter from Meiringen was a hoax, and I allowed you to depart on that errand under the persuasion that some development of this sort would follow. Tell Inspector Paterson that the papers which he needs to convict the gang are in pigeon-hole M, done up in a blue envelope and inscribed “Moriarty”. I made every disposition of my property before leaving England, and handed it to my brother Mycroft. Pray give my greetings to Mrs Watson, and believe me to be, my dear fellow,
Very sincerely yours, SHERLOCK HOLMES.
Margie aka Mopsy, Thank you for taking the notation of fact I came up with making it so more interesting by adding the additional question about the Note. You have a great mind for our game and I am so grateful to be working with you. Our John H Watson Society is so blessed to have such qualified and Caring two such devoted people as You and Selena.A tip of my Deerstalker and affection to you both.
Ron aka Chips
This hurt my soul VERY MUCH and I liked it.
Ah… Chips: Thank you for your kind words. We all make a great team!
And Elinor: I hear you— gut wrenching….
Margie, Did I post something that hurt Elinor ? I did not mean to. Please let me know. Thanks,Ron aka Chips
No, you didn’t: Sherlock Holmes did! His note to ‘my dear Watson’ is heart-breaking.
Thank goodness for the return!
Holmes’s farewell to Watson is one of the most moving things Doyle ever came up with. Sherlock’s stoic sense of mission is that of a martyr about to meet Mr. Lion.
Very much so.
I think this letter and the on the terrace moment are proof, in my mind, of how much Doyle actually loved the Holmes and Watson characters.
Margie,You wrote “I think this letter and the on the terrace moment are proof, in my mind, of how much Doyle actually loved the Holmes and Watson characters.”
I agreed. I had not thought about it in that way but the two you refer to are perfect to prove that point.
This comment shows that you wrote it in response to Beth. Did I miss a comment by Beth on this subject? Thanks, Ron