Quotes About Observation

man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly strong and stiff." "Peculiar—that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an English paper

Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?" "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." "The dog did nothing in the night-time." "That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes.

You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.

Charles Augustus Milverton was a man of fifty, with a large, intellectual head, a round, plump, hairless face, a perpetual frozen smile, and two keen gray eyes, which gleamed brightly from behind broad, gold-rimmed glasses.

Es un craso error teorizar antes de tener datos. Inconscientemente, uno empieza a moldear los hechos para que se ajusten a las teorías, en lugar de ajustar las teorías a los hechos.

To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.' 'The dog did nothing in the night-time.' 'That was the curious incident,' remarked Sherlock Holmes.

No invisibles, sino inadvertidas, Watson. No sabía usted dónde mirar y por eso se perdió todo lo importante.

I can hardly claim to take serious notice of anything that I can see with my naked eye.

Esto sí es un misterio. ¿Qué cree que significa? —Aún no dispongo de esos datos. Es un error capital teorizar antes de disponer de información. Sin darse cuenta, uno empieza a deformar los hechos para que se ajusten a las teorías, en lugar de ajustar las teorías a los hechos.

Like all other arts, the Science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it.

All knowledge comes useful to the detective," remarked Holmes.

Casi todo el mundo, ante una sucesión de hechos, acertará a colegir qué se sigue de ellos... Los distintos acontecimientos son percibidos por la inteligencia, en la que, ya organizados, apuntan a un resultado. A partir de éste, sin embargo, pocas gentes saben recorrer el camino contrario, es decir, el de los pasos cuya sucesión condujo al punto final. A semejante virtud deductiva llamo razonar hacia atrás o analíticamente

If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and unprofitable.

Nichts ist trügerischer als eine offenkundige Tatsache.

of the Scotland Yarders," my friend remarked; "he

That is very helpful, Mr. Holmes.

Some times you have to look hard at something to see its value

He visto demasiado como para no saber que la intuición de una mujer puede resultar más útil que las conclusiones de un razonador analítico.

how the deuce did he know that I had come from Afghanistan?

You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the [585] parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day.

I have frequently gained my first real insight into the character of parents by studying their children.

My dear Watson, said he, I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one's self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers. When I say, therefore, that Mycroft has better powers of observation than I, you may take it that I am speaking the exact and literal truth.

faces. Perhaps I had best

That one word, my dear Watson, should have told me the whole story had I been the ideal reasoner which you are so fond of depicting. It was evidently a term of reproach.