LET US GLANCE AT OUR GAZETTEER #4

 Over the course of this year, I've written four short essays about Arthur Conan Doyle for inclusion in the Sherlock's Spotlight Gazette published by The Beacon Society for young readers. As I finished work on the final essay for 2023, I decided to post the four to this site. Here is the last, a story from Jerome K. Jerome about a vacation in Norway, including a moment in time when Arthur Conan Doyle got a bit ahead of himself.

 

Conan Doyle and family members, Norway, 1892 & Jerome K. Jerome, circa 1890

 

About Arthur, the Author

Glimpses into the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes

 

The Adventure of the Overconfident Writer

 

By the summer of 1892, a year had passed since Arthur Conan Doyle had made the decision to give up his medical practice with the intention of supporting his family as a publishing author. Feeling very confident in his abilities and bolstered by his strong work ethic, his writing output grew and grew, as did his income and literary fame. 

 

Without a medical practice to attend to, Conan Doyle had time to meet many other successful writers including the humorist Jerome K. Jerome, one of the founders of a new magazine, The Idler. The two men became good friends, so much so that when Conan Doyle took his family to Norway for a vacation that August, Jerome went along for the fun.

It is from this humorist that we learn of an incident in Norway wherein Conan Doyle had a bit too much confidence in his abilities and was left afoot when he inadvertently gave away the horse to his carriage:

Doyle was always full of superfluous energy. He started to learn Norwegian on the boat. He go on so well that he became conceited; and one day, at a little rest house up among the mountains, he lost his head. We had come there in stoljas—a tiny carriage only just big enough for one person, drawn by a pony about the size of a Newfoundland dog, but marvelously sturdy. They will trot their fifty miles in the day and be frisky in the evening. While we were lunching, with some twenty miles still in front of us, a young officer came into the room, and said something in Norwegian. Of course we turned on to Doyle; and Doyle rose and bowed and answered him. We all watched the conversation. The young Norwegian officer was evidently charmed with Doyle, while Doyle stood ladling out Norwegian as though it had been his mother tongue. After the officer was gone, we asked Doyle what it was all about.

“Oh, just about the weather, and the state of the roads, and how some relation of his had hurt his leg,” answered Doyle carelessly. “Of course I didn’t understand all of it.” He turned the conversation.

When we had finished lunch, and the stoljas were brought out, Doyle’s pony was missing. It appeared Doyle had “lent” it to the young officer, whose own pony had gone lame. The ostler, who was also the waiter, had overheard the conversation. Doyle had said “Certainly, with pleasure.” He had said it once or twice. Also the Norwegian equivalent for: “Don’t mention it.”

There wasn’t another pony within ten miles. One of our party, who had taken a fancy to the view, and thought he would like to spend a day or two in the neighborhood, let Doyle have his stolja. But for the rest of that trip, Doyle talked less Norwegian.

Jerome included his memory of the comical horse event in his 1926 autobiography, My Life and Times. Conan Doyle and Jerome remained friends for many years, despite not always agreeing as to politics and spiritual matters. Jerome dedicated his book, Novel Notes, to “Big-Hearted, Big-Souled, Big-Bodied Friend Conan Doyle.” 

 

 

Sources:

Stashower, Daniel. Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle. Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1999, pp. 126-27, 135-36, 166-68, 169, 260, 329.

Jerome, Jerome K., My Life and Times. 1925. Independently Published, Amazon Associate Publishing, 2023, pp. 108-11, 142, 174.

The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia: A Life in Pictures, https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com. Accessed 4 October 2023.

Britannica: Jerome K. Jerome, English Writer. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerome-K-Jerome. Accessed 6 October 2023.

 

 

 

 

YOUR MERITS SHOULD BE PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED

 

First page of the manuscript of A Study in Scarlet

''It is wonderful!'' I cried. "Your merits should be publicly recognized. You should publish an account of the case. If you won't, I will for you."  "You may do what you like, Doctor," he answered.

This very short exchange at the end of A Study in Scarlet is one of my favorites in the Sherlock Holmes Canon. Watson, admiring the stellar work of his new friend, for the first time feels the need to write about it all--to tell the world about this amazing man. While Watson understandably wants Sherlock Holmes to receive public credit for his good work,  I think there is a little something more behind Watson's impulse. I think Watson on some level also wants to express public gratitude for what this new friend has brought into his life. The merits of a Holmes friendship are many.

In my own small way, I understand Watson's desire to write about his new experiences, his surprise to find himself in an exciting new phase of his life, to publicly show his gratitude to this friend who has helped to change everything. This past week, Belanger Books released to Kickstarter the two books I've been working on for past 20 months. I've certainly entered an exciting new phase of my life. I'm feeling the need to write about it and to express public gratitude for several friends who contributed their time, expertise, and support. The merits of their friendship are many, too.

The Genius of the Place is perhaps an unusual book. I have encountered some deer-in-the-headlamps looks when I've tried to explain the concept and contents to people. However, a small group of people with a strong Doylean/Sherlockian air about them got it when I talked about the manuscript and I'm grateful for them. As I wrote in the introduction for the book:

I owe a formidable debt to bookman, artist, and friend Jeff Decker. His depth of knowledge of the literature of the late 19^th and early 20^th century informed my thinking and writing in a myriad of ways. His thoughtful questions after careful reading and rereading of the manuscript helped me to keep the work balanced, nuanced, and moving on lighter feet. He did all this, and he shared his beautiful portrait of Doyle.

           The other side of the formidable debt coin belongs to the effervescent and brilliant Nancy Holder. Her daily presence in my life as confidant, cheerleader, writing guru, publishing powerhouse and fount of knowledge of all things punctuation and grammar is a blessing for which I am forever grateful.

           Finally, I owe many thanks to Ross Davies for his kind words in the Foreword, to Steve Mason for the use of his Strand homage art, and to Rachel Conner for her sharp proof-reading skills.

Once the book was drafted two more joined this marvelous group; they helped by reading the ms and then preparing articulate and supportive blurbs. I am very grateful to Phil Bergem and Mark Jones for their enthusiasm and kind words.

With Remarkable Cunning has more easily described content. A collection of Sherlock Holmes adventure stories is far from an uncommon thing now. Yet, Jeff Decker, Nancy Holder, and Rachel Conner were still right there with the same enthusiasm and support. Nancy went once step more by writing a foreword. Amazing.

When I considered asking people to read and possibly blurb the Holmes book, I was hesitant to ask very busy Sherlockian authors to stop their work to read yet ten more Sherlock Holmes stories. I didn't even have the possible allure of something a little unusual like the Genius ms. We all love a Sherlock Holmes story but time can be short and the stacks of them can be tall.

I decided to dream big and ask three authors that I admire more than I can easily explain: Carla Coupe, Sonia Fetherston and Mattias Boström. I hoped one of them would have time, energy and interest for the collection. You can imagine my surprise when all three said yes. My formidable debt list rapidly grew in length and scope. 

So, here I am on a new adventure and forever grateful to Jeff, Nancy, Rachel, Ross, Steve, Phil, Mark, Carla, Sonia and Mattias for their part of it. I'm still somewhat in shock.

Perhaps I'm feeling just a little like Watson did when he stood with Sherlock Holmes at the end of A Study in Scarlet trying to sort out what the heck just happened.