APPENDIX A

Excerpts from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to establish the Sherlock Method.
...courtesy Jock F. McTavish, 275 9853, Calgary. 14 October 1992. PAGE 1

ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON "I will not bias your mind by suggesting theories
or suspicions, Watson," said he; "I wish you simply to
report facts in the fullest possible manner to me, and
In the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, we
you can leave me to do the theorizing." 63.
have the master of deduction. Sir Arthur him-
self was a physician trained in diagnostics
"By George!" cried the inspector. "How ever did you
whose hobbies included investigation of the
see that?"
paranormal. Sherlock offers not merely
"Because I looked for it." 48.
exquisite entertainment, but also lessons in
problem solving. To discover Sherlock's
"Sherlock Holmes had listened with the utmost
"Method", let us gather his advice on the sub-
intentness to the statement ... He now drew out his
ject.
notebook and jotted down one or two memoranda." 50.
PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES He held his open notebook upon his knee, and from
time to time he jotted down figures and memoranda in
"They say genius is an infinite capacity for taking the light of his pocket-lantern. 18.
pains," he remarked with a smile. "It's a very bad "This case is quite sufficiently complicated to
definition, but it does apply to detective work." 8. start with without the further difficulty of false
information." 89.
"I never make exceptions. An exception disproves
the rule." 16. "It is just these very simple things which are
extremely liable to be overlooked." 24.
"But why not eat?"
"Because the faculties become refined when you "The world is full of obvious things which nobody
starve them. Why, surely, as a doctor, my dear Watson, by any chance ever observes." 58.
you must admit that what your digestion gains in the
way of blood supply is so much lost to the brain. I am "On the contrary, to my mind nothing could be more
a brain, Watson. The rest of me is a mere appendix. clear. Let me run over the principal steps. We
Therefore, it is the brain I must consider." 88. approached the case, you remember, with an absolutely
blank mind, which is always an advantage. We had formed
"We all need help sometimes," said I. 22. no theories. We were simply there to observe and to
draw inferences from our observations." 77.
One of Sherlock Holmes's defects - if, indeed, one
may call it a defect - was that he was exceedingly "... (the old home was) surrounded by a high sun-
loath to communicate his full plans to any other person baked wall mottled with lichens and topped with moss,
until the instant of their fulfilment. Partly it came the sort of wall - "
no doubt from his own masterful nature, which loved to "Cut out the poetry, Watson," said Holmes severely.
dominate and surprise those who were around him. Partly "I note that it was a high brick wall." 93.
also from his professional caution, which urged him
never to take any chances. The result, however, was I had imagined that Sherlock Holmes would at once
very trying for those who were acting as his agents and have hurried into the house and plunged into a study of
assistants." 67. the mystery. Nothing appeared to be further from his
intention. With an air of nonchalance which, under the
"Yes," he said in answer to my remark, "you have circumstances, seemed to me to border upon affectation,
seen me miss my mark before, Watson. I have an instinct he lounged up and down the pavement, and gazed vacantly
for such things, and yet it has sometimes played me at the ground, the sky, the opposite houses and the
false. It seemed a certainty when first it flashed line of railings. ... I had no doubt that he could see
across my mind in the cell at Winchester, but one a great deal which was hidden from me. 5.
drawback of an active mind is that one can always
conceive alternative explanations which would make our "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my
scent a false one. And yet - and yet - Well, Watson, we friend.
can but try." 92. "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything.
You fail, however, to reason from what you see. You are
"I can afford to talk of my blunders, for you know too timid in drawing your inferences." 34.
my work well enough to be aware of my successes." 86.
A MASTER OF DEDUCTION
"I have been beaten four times - three times by
men, and once by a woman." 31.
"We are coming now rather into the region of
guesswork," said Dr. Mortimer.
"I said that he was my superior in observation and
"Say, rather, into the region where we balance
deduction. If the art of the detective began and ended
probabilities and choose the most likely. It is the
in reasoning from an armchair, my brother would be the
scientific use of the imagination, but we have always
greatest criminal agent that ever lived. But he has no
some material basis on which to start our speculation."
ambition and no energy. ... he was absolutely
59.
incapable of working out the practical points which
must be gone into before a case could be laid before a
"Ah, that is good luck. I could only say what was
judge or jury." 43. (In reference to his brother
the balance of probability. I did not at all expect to
Mycroft Holmes.)
be so accurate.
"But it was not mere guesswork?"
"He has two out of the three qualities necessary
"No, no: I never guess. It is a shocking habit -
for the ideal detective. He has the power of observa-
destructive to the logical faculty. What seems strange
tion and that of deduction. He is only wanting in
to you is only so because you do not follow my train of
knowledge, and that may come in time." 13.
thought or observe the small facts upon which large
inferences may depend." 15.
A MASTER OF OBSERVATION
"If I take it up I must understand every detail,"
 APPENDIX A
Excerpts from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to establish the Sherlock Method.
...courtesy Jock F. McTavish, 275 9853, Calgary. 14 October 1992. PAGE 2
said he. "Take time to consider. The smallest point may deeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at
be the most essential." 78. your finger ends, it is odd if you can't unravel the
thousand and first." 3.
"From a drop of water ... a logician could infer
the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge.
having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life ... My surprise reached a climax;, however, when I
is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Coper-
we are shown a single link of it. Like all other arts, nican Theory and of the composition of the Solar Sys-
the Science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can tem. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth
only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life century should not be aware that the earth travelled
long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordi-
possible perfection in it." 2. nary fact that I could hardly realize it.
"You appear to be astonished," he said, smiling at
"Elementary," said he. "It is one of those my expression of surprise. "Now that I do know it I
instances where the reasoner can produce an effect shall do my best to forget it."
which seems remarkable to his neighbour, because the "To forget it!"
latter has missed the one little point which is the "You see," he explained, "I consider that a man's
basis of the deduction. ... I hold in this hand several brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you
threads of one of the strangest cases which ever have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A
perplexed a man's brain, and yet I lack the one or two fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he
which are needful to complete my theory. But I'll have comes across, so that the knowledge which might be
them, Watson, I'll have them!" 42. useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled
up with a lot of other things, so that he has a diffi-
"You said you had a clue?" culty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful
"Well, we have several, but we can only test their workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into
value by further inquiry. The most difficult crime to his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools
track is the one which is purposeless. Now this is not which may help him in doing his work, but of these he
purposeless. Who is it who profits by it?" 44. has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect
order. It is a mistake to think that that little room
"You see, my dear Watson" - he propped his test- has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend
tube in the rack, and began to lecture with the air of upon it there comes a time when for every addition of
a professor addressing his class - "it is not really knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It
difficult to construct a series of inferences, each is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have
dependent upon its predecessor and each simple in useless facts elbowing out the useful ones."
itself. If, after doing so, one simply knocks out all "But the Solar System!" I protested.
the central inferences and presents one's audience with "What the deuce is it to me?" he interrupted impa-
the starting-point and the conclusion, one may produce tiently: "you say that we go round the sun. If we went
a startling, though possibly a meretricious, effect." round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of dif-
47. ference to me or to my work." 1.

"Let us take it link by link." 74. Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said,
"I say now, as I said then, that a man should keep his
Holmes shook his head gravely. "It would cease to little brain-attic stocked with all the furniture that
be a danger if we could define it," said he." 38. he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in
the lumber-room of his library, where he can get it if
"You have a theory?" he wants it." 33.
"Yes, a provisional one." 40.
"... I cannot guarantee that I carry all the facts
"Ah! there lies our problem. There is one rather in my mind. Intense mental concentration has a curious
obvious line of investigation." 79. way of blotting out what has passed. The barrister who
has his case at his fingers' ends and is able to argue
"I thought over every possible course, and this is with an expert upon his own subject finds that a week
the best." 25. or two of the courts will drive it all out of his head
once more. So each of my cases displaces the last
"Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing," ..."69.
answered Holmes thoughtfully. "It may seem to point
very straight to one thing, but if you shift your own "I propose to devote my declining years to the
point of view a little, you may find it pointing in an composition of a textbook, which shall focus the whole
equally uncompromising manner to something entirely art of detection into one volume." 54.
different." 28.
KNOWING WHEN IS ENOUGH
"You are right," said Holmes demurely; "you do find
it very hard to tackle the facts." 29. "Surely we have a case."
"Not a shadow of one - only surmise and conjecture.
A MASTER OF KNOWLEDGE We should be laughed out of court if we came with such
"Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of a story and such evidence." 66.
lessons with the greatest for the last." 80.
"I think that I have seen now all that there is to
"Read it up - you really should. There is nothing see," said he. 36.
new under the sun. It has all been done before." 6.
"Data! data! data!" he cried impatiently. "I can't
"Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my make bricks without clay." 39.
business to know things. Perhaps I have trained myself
to see what others overlook." 27. "No data yet," he answered. "It is a capital mis-
take to theorize before you have all the evidence. It
"There is a strong family resemblance about mis- biases the judgment." 4.
 APPENDIX A
Excerpts from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to establish the Sherlock Method.
...courtesy Jock F. McTavish, 275 9853, Calgary. 14 October 1992. PAGE 3
to be much deeper and more subtle than I at first
"I should like a few more facts before I get so far supposed. I must reconsider my ideas." 17.
as a theory ..." 72.
"Look here Watson," he said when the cloth was
"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous cleared; "just sit down in this chair and let me preach
conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous to you for a little. I don't know quite what to do, and
it always is to reason from insufficient data." 35. I should value your advice. Light a cigar and let me
expound." 30.
"I simply can't leave that case in this condition.
Every instinct that I possess cries out against it. "Now Watson," said Holmes, rubbing his hands, "we
It's wrong - it's all wrong - I'll swear that it's have half an hour to ourselves. Let us make good use of
wrong. ... Sit down on this bench, Watson, ... and it. My case is, as I have told you, almost complete;
allow me to lay the evidence before you ..." 55. but we must not err on the side of overconfidence.
Simple as the case seems now, there may be something
"I'm afraid," said Holmes, smiling, "that all the deeper underlying it."
queen's horses and all the queen's men cannot avail in "Simple!" I ejaculated.
this matter." 81. "Surely," said he with something of the air of a
clinical professor expounding to his class. 20.
"All is well that ends well," said Holmes. 26.
"Come, come, sir," said Holmes, laughing. "You are
THINGS OFTEN SEEM INEXPLICABLE like my friend, Dr. Watson, who has a bad habit of
telling his stories wrong end foremost. Please arrange
"The more outre and grotesque an incident is the your thoughts and let me know, in their due sequence
more carefully it deserves to be examined, and the very exactly what those events are ..." 73.
point which appears to complicate a case is, when duly
considered and scientifically handled, the one which is "At least we may accept it as a working hypoth-
most likely to elucidate it." 70. esis." 85.

"This complicates matters," said Gregson. "Heaven THE METHOD OF EXCLUSION

knows, they were complicated enough before."
"You're sure it doesn't simplify them?" observed "By the method of exclusion, I had arrived at this
Holmes. 7. result, for no other hypothesis would meet the
facts."12.
"This is all an insoluble mystery to me," said I.
"It grows darker instead of clearer." "Eliminate all other factors, and the one which
"On the contrary," he answered, "it clears every remains must be the truth." 14.
instant. I only require a few missing links to have an
entirely connected case." 19. "You will not apply my precept," he said, shaking
his head. "How often have I said to you that when you
"I should have more faith," he said; "I ought to have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,
know by this time that when a fact appears to be however improbable must be the truth?" 21.
opposed to a long train of deductions, it invariably
proves to be capable of bearing some other interpreta- "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have
tion." 9. excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however
improbable, must be the truth." 37.
"These strange details, far from making the case
more difficult, have really had the effect of making it "We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all
less so." 10. other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however
improbable, must be the truth." 82.
THE ART OF REFLECTION
THE RULE OF REASONING BACKWARD
"I think I should like to sit quietly for a few
minutes and think it out." 90. "I have already explained to you that what is out
of the common is usually a guide rather than a hin-
"Well now Watson, let us judge the situation by drance. In solving a problem of this sort, the grand
this new information." 75. thing is to be able to reason backward. That is a very
useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people
"Let us see then if we can narrow it down. As I do not practise it much. In the everyday affairs of
focus my mind upon it, it seems rather less impen- life it is more useful to reason forward, and so the
etrable." 71. other comes to be neglected. There are fifty who can
reason synthetically for one who can reason analyti-
"I knew that seclusion and solitude were very cally."
necessary for my friend in those hours of intense "I confess," said I, "that I do not quite follow
mental concentration during which he weighed every you."
particle of evidence, constructed alternative theories, "I hardly expected that you would. Let me see if I
balanced one against the other, and made up his mind as can make it clearer. Most people, if you describe a
to which points were essential and which immaterial." train of events to them, will tell you what the result
57. would be. They can put those events together in their
minds, and argue from them that something will come to
"All day I turned these facts over in my mind, pass. There are few people, however, who, if you told
endeavouring to hit upon some theory which could rec- them a result, would be able to evolve from their own
oncile them all, and to find that line of least resis- inner consciousness what the steps were which led up to
tance which my poor friend had declared to be the that result. This power is what I mean when I talk of
starting-point of every investigation. 46. reasoning backward, or analytically." 11.

"I begin to suspect that this matter may turn out "... we have been compelled to reason backward from
 APPENDIX A
Excerpts from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to establish the Sherlock Method.
...courtesy Jock F. McTavish, 275 9853, Calgary. 14 October 1992. PAGE 4
effects to causes." 76. "Any news?" he asked eagerly.
"My report, as I expected, is a negative one," said
THE NEED FOR RECESS Holmes. ...
"You have not lost heart, then?"
"Well, I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging "By no means." 45.
into a chemical analysis. One of our greatest statesmen
has said that a change of work is the best rest. So it "I have no desire to make mysteries, but it is
is." 23. impossible at the moment of action to enter into long
and complex explanations." 49.
"Sherlock Holmes had, in a very remarkable degree,
the power of detaching his mind at will. For two hours "To tell the truth" - he sank his face into his
the strange business in which we had been involved thin, white hands - "I have felt helpless. I have felt
appeared to be forgotten ..." 60. like one of those poor rabbits when the snake is writh-
ing towards it. I seem to be in the grasp of some
One of the most remarkable characteristics of resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight and no
Sherlock Holmes was his power of throwing his brain out precautions can guard against."
of action and switching all his thoughts on to lighter "Tut! tut!" cried Sherlock Holmes. "You must act,
things whenever he had convinced himself that he could man, or you are lost. Nothing but energy can save you.
no longer work to advantage. 83. This is no time for despair." 32.

THE RULE OF PERSPECTIVE "... meanwhile take my assurance that the clouds
are lifting and that I have every hope that the light
"You know my methods in such cases, Watson. I put of truth is breaking through." 91.
myself in the man's place, and, having first gauged his
intelligence, I try to imagine how I should myself have "Nay, madam, there again you ask me more than I can
proceeded under the same circumstances." 41. possibly answer." 56.

"You'll get results, Inspector, by always putting "Start her up, Watson, for it's time that we were
yourself in the other fellow's place, and thinking what on our way. I have a check for five hundred pounds
you would do yourself. It takes some imagination, but which should be cashed early, for the drawer is quite
it pays." 94. capable of stopping it if he can." 87.

CONTINGENCIES AND ALTERNATIVES CONCLUSIONS

"... One should always look for a possible alter- The Sherlock Method then is founded upon common
native, and provide against it. It is the first rule of sense and specialist knowledge. Its exercise
criminal investigation." 51. depends upon sufficient observation. Deduction
is the skill tool to forge links in a chain of
"Very well," said Holmes, good-humouredly. "We all reason. Solution is singular.
learn by experience, and your lesson this time is that
you should never lose sight of the alternative." 52. This detective procedure has much application
in any problem solving situation. It is used to
"We progress, my dear Watson, we progress. I had gather the data, to link the data, and so dis-
seven different schemes for getting a glimpse of that cover the truth behind the data.
telegram, but I could hardly hope to succeed the very
first time." 53. This process is completely logical. It seems
otherwise only to those who skip steps: either
"Well, I don't profess to understand it yet. ... of data or reason. To those who master the
But we hold several threads in our hands, and the odds method, things are "Elementary, my dear
are that one or other of them guides us to the truth." Watson!"
61.

"There go two of my threads, Watson. There is

nothing more stimulating than a case where everything
goes against you. We must cast round for another
scent." 62.

"Now we will take another line of reasoning. When

you follow two separate chains of thought, Watson, you
will find some point of intersection which should
approximate to the truth." 84.

"Keep your revolver near you night and day, and

never relax your precautions." 64.

"Luck had been against us again and again in this

inquiry, but now at last it came to my aid." 65.

"We owe you a deep apology, Sir Henry, for having

exposed you to this fright. I was prepared for a hound,
but not for such a creature as this. And the fog gave
us little time to receive him." 68.

CLIENT WISE
 APPENDIX A
Excerpts from The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to establish the Sherlock Method.
...courtesy Jock F. McTavish, 275 9853, Calgary. 14 October 1992. PAGE 5
The Complete Sherlock Holmes in two volumes published 69. p761. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
by Doubleday. Original copyrights by Harper and 70. p764. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Brothers, Sir A.C. Doyle, Doubleday, Collier's Weekly, 71. p771. The Valley of Fear.
International Magazine Company and Liberty Weekly. 72. p789. The Valley of Fear.
73. p870. The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge.
NOTES: 74. p875. The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge.
75. p883. The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge.
1. p21, A Study in Scarlet. 76. p895. The Adventure of the Cardboard Box.
2. p23. A Study in Scarlet. 77. p895. The Adventure of the Cardboard Box.
3. p24. A Study in Scarlet. 78. p902. The Adventure of the Red Circle.
4. p27. A Study in Scarlet. 79. p904. The Adventure of the Red Circle.
5. p28. A Study in Scarlet. 80. p907. The Adventure of the Red Circle.
6. p29. A Study in Scarlet. 81. p925. The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington
7. p30. A Study in Scarlet. Plans.
8. p31. A Study in Scarlet. 82. p926. The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington
9. p49. A Study in Scarlet. Plans.
10. p50. A Study in Scarlet. 83. p929. The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington
11. p83. A Study in Scarlet. Plans.
12. p84. A Study in Scarlet. 84. p950. The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax.
13. p91. The Sign of Four. 85. p964. The Adventure of the Devil's Foot.
14. p92. The Sign of Four. 86. p971. His Last Bow.
15. p93. The Sign of Four. 87. p980. His Last Bow.
16. p96. The Sign of Four. 88. p1014. The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone.
17. p98. The Sign of Four. 89. p1059. The Problem of Thor Bridge.
18. p99. The Sign of Four. 90. p1064. The Problem of Thor Bridge.
19. p109. The Sign of Four. 91. p1068. The Problem of Thor Bridge.
20. p110. The Sign of Four. 92. p1069. The Problem of Thor Bridge.
21. p111. The Sign of Four. 93. p1114. The Adventure of the Retired Colourman.
22. p132. The Sign of Four. 94. p1121. The Adventure of the Retired Colourman.
23. p135. The Sign of Four.
24. p136. The Sign of Four.
25. p137. The Sign of Four.
26. p141. The Sign of Four.
27. p192. A Case of Identity.
28. p204. The Boscombe Valley Mystery.
29. p211. The Boscombe Valley Mystery.
30. p213. The Boscombe Valley Mystery.
31. p219. Five Orange Pips.
32. p223. Five Orange Pips.
33. p225. Five Orange Pips.
34. p246. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.
35. p272. The Adventure of the Speckled Band.
36. p311. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet.
37. p315. The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet.
38. p321. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
39. p322. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
40. p359. The Yellow Face.
41. p295. The Musgrave Ritual.
42. p412. The Crooked Man.
43. p436. The Greek Interpreter.
44. p457. The Naval Treaty.
45. p461. The Naval Treaty.
46. p484. The Adventure of the Empty House.
47. p511. The Adventure of the Dancing Men.
48. p519. The Adventure of the Dancing Men.
49. p521. The Adventure of the Dancing Men.
50. p541. The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist.
51. p567. The Adventure of Black Peter.
52. p570. The Adventure of Black Peter.
53. p628. The Adventure of the Missing Three-
Quarter.
54. p636. The Adventure of the Abbey Grange.
55. p642. The Adventure of the Abbey Grange.
56. p657. The Adventure of the Second Stain.
57. p683. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
58. p683. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
59. p687. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
60. p692. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
61. p693. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
62. p696. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
63. p698. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
64. p699. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
65. p736. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
66. p747. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
67. p754. The Hound of the Baskervilles.
68. p757. The Hound of the Baskervilles.