Quotes from Arthur Conan Doyle

They are important, you understand, without being interesting.

In height he was rather over six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to which I have alluded; and his thin, hawk-like nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness and decision. His chin, too, had the prominence and squareness which mark the man of determination.

Datos, datos, datos!» —exclamaba con impaciencia—. «¡No puedo hacer ladrillos sin arcilla!»

Vestigia nulla retrorsum. Never look rearwards.

no more to be done in the matter. I have the honour to wish you a very good morning." He bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand which the King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his

a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the Royal Houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated

I think, Watson, that you have put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you.

A man in white clothes (…) was running as one does run when Death is the pacemaker.

Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of clear wood after them.

It was at such moments that for an instant he ceased to be a reasoning machine, and betrayed his human love for admiration and applause. The same singularly proud and reserved nature which turned away with disdain from popular notoriety was capable of being moved to its depths by spontaneous wonder and praise from a friend.

My job is to know what other people do not know.

What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence, the question is what you can make people believe that you have done.

burn. Now, I observe, Ames

A fortune for one man that was more than he needed should not be build on ten thousand ruined men who were left without the means of life.

drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at all that he had left it

And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman.

when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life

You have a case, Holmes? I remarked. The faculty of deduction is certainly contagious, Watson, he answered. It has enabled you to probe my secret. Yes, I have a case. After a month of trivialities and stagnation the wheels move once more.

His eyes kindled and a slight flush sprang into his thin cheeks. For an instant the veil had lifted upon his keen, intense nature, but for an instant only. When I glanced again his face had resumed that red-Indian composure which had made so many regard him as a machine rather than a man.

Non si finisce mai d'imparare, Watson. È tutta una serie di lezioni, di cui l'ultima è la più importante.

Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.

Sherlock and his Watson may for a time find a place, while some more astute sleuth with some even less astute comrade may fill the stage which they have vacated.

Le nostre idee devono essere grandiose quanto la natura, se devono interpretare la natura stessa.

Es un error capital teorizar antes de tener datos. Sin darse cuenta, uno comienza a distorsionar los hechos para que se ajusten a las teorías, en lugar de formular teorías que se ajusten a los hechos