All Things Conan Doyle & Holmes

[Zodiac]

[QUOTE=Steven Russell;142132]

Zodiac & Chris:

wasn't aware that Dr. Watson owned a dog

Hello, Adam.
In "A Study in Scarlet", Watson speaks of owning a "bull pup" I think when he and Holmes are discussing their habits before moving into 221B. The obvious inference is that this is a young bulldog. However, others have theorised that it may be a type of gun. Whichever it is, the bull pup does not appear again in the story.

Holmes may have developed an aversion to dogs after having been bitten at college by his friend Trevor's beast; this may have caused him to prevail upon Watson to find another home for his pet. Still, by "The Sign of Four" he is prepared to work with the actual sleuth hound Toby.

Best wishes,
Steve.

Hi Steve,

Yes, I totally agree with you, the reference was clearly to a young dog and not a firearm. The term "bullpup" was not used, in conection with firearms, until around 1900 and even then not in conection with a handgun. The Bullpup is a type of longarm design. It places the gun's action and magazine behind the trigger, in front of a short buttstock. This decreases the overall length of the gun, while retaining the same length of barrel and also saves on weight. Bullpups generally result in about a 1/4 reduction in weapon length, which allows for better maneuverability in confined spaces. The concept was first used in bolt action rifles such as the Thorneycroft Carbine of 1901, although the increased distance from hand grip to bolt handle meant the decreased length had to be weighed against the increased time required to fire the weapon.

Many modern assualt rifles, such as the SA-80/L85, Steyr AUG, FAMAS and IMI Tavor TAR-21, utilise the bullpup system. No matter, imho Watson was much better off sticking with his trusty old Service Revolver anyway!

Best wishes,

Zodiac.

[Adam Went]

Steven:

Ah right, thanks for that.
I think the "bull pup" in the sense of it being a dog is a good idea, you can just imagine that going on at 221B, just couldn't remember having read about it before in any of the stories!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Steven Russell]

[quote=Adam Went;142013]Zodiac & Chris:

wasn't aware that Dr. Watson owned a dog

Hello, Adam.
In "A Study in Scarlet", Watson speaks of owning a "bull pup" I think when he and Holmes are discussing their habits before moving into 221B. The obvious inference is that this is a young bulldog. However, others have theorised that it may be a type of gun. Whichever it is, the bull pup does not appear again in the story.

Holmes may have developed an aversion to dogs after having been bitten at college by his friend Trevor's beast; this may have caused him to prevail upon Watson to find another home for his pet. Still, by "The Sign of Four" he is prepared to work with the actual sleuth hound Toby.

Best wishes,
Steve.

[Robert]

Hi Chris

Yes, Holmes had been in bed for several days, and he'd made himself up to look like a dying man, so now he was making himself look presentable (to go to the opera, I think).

Another writer (not as celebrated as Joyce) who mentioned an ashplant was Frank Richards, author of the Billy Bunter stories. Prefects carried ashplants to whack wrongdoers with.

[ChrisGeorge]

It's funny the way you can misunderstand things when you're a kid. When I read The Dying Detective for the first time, and read the bit about Holmes talking to Watson and refreshing himself with wine "during the intervals of his toilet," I actually pictured Holmes calling out to Watson while seated on the loo with a glass of wine in his hand, and with several jobs to do (hence the intervals).

Hi Robert

I imagine Conan Doyle simply meant Holmes was getting dressed or was freshening up rather than being in the WC. Is that right?

Your experience is similar to mine when I first read Ulysses. I couldn't understand why Stephen Dedalus was carrying an "ashplant" around. It was only later that I realised an ashplant was a walking cane, something the author James Joyce had every expectation that the readers of his day would know.

Chris

[Robert]

It's funny the way you can misunderstand things when you're a kid. When I read The Dying Detective for the first time, and read the bit about Holmes talking to Watson and refreshing himself with wine "during the intervals of his toilet," I actually pictured Holmes calling out to Watson while seated on the loo with a glass of wine in his hand, and with several jobs to do (hence the intervals).

[Adam Went]

Zodiac & Chris:

Sorry, just automatically presumed it was a reference to the movie - the movie was actually pretty good IMO, quite action packed and funny at times - aside from the fact that I couldn't understand half of what Robert Downey Jnr. said and wasn't aware that Dr. Watson owned a dog.....other than that, not too bad. Definitely worth a look, anyway.

Belinda:

Well there was a group on TV a couple of weeks back, a trio calling themselves "Dwarfsome" (on Hey Hey, did you see it?)....wonder how long it'll take the politically correct people to tell them that they can't insult themselves with a name like that?

Cheers,
Adam.

[belinda]

Careful guys, the word "dwarf" is now apparently offensive to "people of smaller than average stature" as well.....yes it's true, you can't say anything these days without the politically correct police coming after you. Mrs. Hudson would not have approved.

There's actually a book that came out a while back called "Politically Correct Holiday Stories", a satirical version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"....because you can't say Christmas anymore either, it's offensive to the faith of some people.

So I guess i've just broken the rules a couple of times as well. Whoops, must be off with the fairies.....oh, wait, can't say that either, it's offensive to homosexuals....hmm. Best end here.

Cheers,
Adam.

I am a person of smaller than average stature (5'2") I get called tiny all the time
Who invented this ridiculous term It has to be the biggest oxymoron ever

I'll bet Mrs Hudson was short too. It is a well known fact all people under 5'4" are geniuses

[Chris]

Then you'll be pleased, Chris, as i'm sure every other Sherlock fan will be, that Sherlock Holmes 2 is going to start filming in October:

No - it was the new BBC adaptation I liked - the one with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman - not the Guy Ritchie feature film. I haven't seen the film, but the bits I have seen looked absolutely awful.

[Zodiac]

Then you'll be pleased, Chris, as i'm sure every other Sherlock fan will be, that Sherlock Holmes 2 is going to start filming in October:

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00033756.html

Have heard rumours that Brad Pitt may be Professor Moriarty in this one....

Zodiac: LOL

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi again Adam,

Forgive me for having to put you, dare I say it, "straight" again but I rather think that Chris may have been referring to the excellent new BBC TV production "Sherlock" as opposed to that Hollywood travisty to which, I believe, you are referring.

Best Wishes,

Zodiac.

[Adam Went]

Then you'll be pleased, Chris, as i'm sure every other Sherlock fan will be, that Sherlock Holmes 2 is going to start filming in October:

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00033756.html

Have heard rumours that Brad Pitt may be Professor Moriarty in this one....

Zodiac: LOL

Cheers,
Adam.

[Zodiac]

Careful guys, the word "dwarf" is now apparently offensive to "people of smaller than average stature" as well.....yes it's true, you can't say anything these days without the politically correct police coming after you. Mrs. Hudson would not have approved.

There's actually a book that came out a while back called "Politically Correct Holiday Stories", a satirical version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"....because you can't say Christmas anymore either, it's offensive to the faith of some people.

So I guess i've just broken the rules a couple of times as well. Whoops, must be off with the fairies.....oh, wait, can't say that either, it's offensive to homosexuals....hmm. Best end here.

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi Adam,

Yes, you're quite right, there are indeed some very queer goings on these days, and to think that I used to be such a gay sort of chap! Nowadays I hardly dare let anything past my lips, in case I have to later withdraw it in court and put it into the hands of my solicitor!!!

Best wishes,

Zodiac.

[Chris]

Finally saw 'Sherlock' today, and thought it was brilliant.

[Adam Went]

Careful guys, the word "dwarf" is now apparently offensive to "people of smaller than average stature" as well.....yes it's true, you can't say anything these days without the politically correct police coming after you. Mrs. Hudson would not have approved.

There's actually a book that came out a while back called "Politically Correct Holiday Stories", a satirical version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"....because you can't say Christmas anymore either, it's offensive to the faith of some people.

So I guess i've just broken the rules a couple of times as well. Whoops, must be off with the fairies.....oh, wait, can't say that either, it's offensive to homosexuals....hmm. Best end here.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Robert]

Great heavens! And I thought she spent all her time cooking kippers.