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Basic
Sherlock: For the Basilian Beginners
Written and compiled by Diane N. Tran
© Tranimation Art & Entertainment, 12 December 2008
The Sacred WritingsSherlock Holmes is a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). The first story that introduced Sherlock Holmes was the novel, A Study in Scarlet (STUD), published in 1887 in Beeton's Christmas Annual. Following the novel's growing popularity, Conan Doyle wrote a total of four novels and fifty-six short-stories, specifying the series as the Canon (always capitalised), or more exclusively as the Sacred Writings.
Suggested by famed Sherlockian scholar, Jay Finely Christ (rhymes with "list"), the Christ & Co. Codes are four-letter, short-hand designations named for each of the original Sacred Writings, written by Conan Doyle:
Sidney Paget (1860-1908) is the most famous Sherlock Holmes illustrator, producing over 357 illustrations for the British periodical, the Strand Magazine, using his younger brother, Walter, as a model for the detective. Frederic Dorr Steele (1874-1944) produced sixteen illustrations for the stories in the American periodical, Collier's Weekly, using the most famous Holmes actor at the time, William Gillette, as his model.
The Titus Canon
Award-winning author Eve Titus (1922-2002) created a children's book series, illustrated by Paul Galdone, about the "Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse-World," Basil of Baker Street, specifying the series as the Titus Canon:
Walt Disney Pictures' 26th animated feature film:
"A singular set of people, Watson..."
Some famous characters from the Sacred Writings include:
Sherlock Holmes is, of course, the most recognised character from the writings. An eccentric gentleman who pursued a unique profession as the "world's first unofficial consulting detective," using a process of unconventional, logical deduction and reasoning; the character was modelled after Conan Doyle's old Edinburgh University professor, Dr. Joseph Bell, M.D, J.P, D.L, F.R.C.S. Ed. His other nicknames include "S.H," "the Great Detective" and, by the most devoted, "the Master." He is the equivalent to Basil of Baker Street (whose full is Sherringford Basil).
John H. Watson, M.D, is Holmes' roommate, friend, and biographer. Nearly all the canonical tales are seen through the eyes of Watson. Contrary to popular belief, it is wrong to say Watson was an "bumbling idiot"; he was kind, considerate, tolerant, loyal, and clever in his own right. He served in the British Army during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1843-1880) and had a bullet injury in either the shoulder, or the leg, or perhaps both; he had been married, at least, twice. He is the equivalent to David Q. Dawson, M.D.
Mycroft Holmes (GREE, FINA, BRUC), Sherlock's older (arguably, smarter) brother, seven years his senior, is among one of the most compelling characters from the Sacred Writings. He is the founding member of the Diogenes Club, a mysterious London club where the members are not allowed to speak; he holds an equally mysterious occupation in the British Government. Mycroft is lazier than the younger Sherlock. He is the equivalent to Diane N. Tran's Myerricroft Basil.
Professor James Moriarty (FINA, EMPT, VALL) is known as "Napoleon of Crime" and is Holmes' arch-nemesis who, according to Holmes, was a crime lord responsible for most of the organised crime in London. Though his name is synonymous of evil, Moriarty never appeared but was mentioned through second-hand allusions from others in the Sacred Writings. He supposedly died by falling off the cliffs of the Reichenbach Falls, Switzerland, after battling Holmes. He is the equivalent to Professor Ratigan (MEXI, WILD, TGMD).
Colonel Sebastian Moran (EMPT) is Moriarty's second-in-command and a big-game hunter who served in the British Army at India. Seeking revenge for Moriarty's death, Moran attempted to assassinate Holmes; he is considered, by Holmes, as "the second most dangerous man in London." He is the equivalent to Eve Titus' Captain Doran (PYGM, MEXI).
Irene Adler (SCAN) is the famous American opera singer, actress, and adventuress; she was one of only four persons to have ever outwitted Holmes and the only female to have done so! Because of her beauty and cunning, Holmes developed a reverence for her that he did for no other woman, referring to her honourably as "the Woman." She is the equivalent to Eve Titus' Mademoiselle Relda (PYGM, LOST), which is "Adler" spelled backwards.
Inspector G. Lestrade (STUD, BOSC, NOBL, HOUN, EMPT, NORW, CHAS, SIXN, SECO, CARD, BRUC, LADY, 3GAR) is Holmes' Scotland Yard contemporary and appears frequently in the Sacred Writings. Contrary to his Keystone Kops-like stereotype, he was an intelligent, capable, diligent man, referred to by Holmes as "the best of the professionals," but he lacked imagination and was usually out of his depth. He is (possibly) the equivalent to Eve Titus' Inspector Vole (BAKE) and Diane N. Tran's Chief Inspector Vole.
Inspector Tobias Gregson (STUD, SIGN, GREE, WIST, REDC) is Holmes' Scotland Yard contemporary and Lestrade's professional rival. Holmes considered him to be "the smartest of the Scotland Yarders," but was far too conventional in his methods, and yet he commended his bravery. He is the equivalent to Diane N. Tran's Chief Inspector Greyson.
Inspector Stanley Hopkins (BLAC, GOLD, MISS, ABBE) is a young inspector and student of Holmes' deductive methods, in which he attempts to apply them in his own investigations. Holmes "has high hopes for his career." He is the equivalent to Diane N. Tran's Detective Inspector Clawes.
Mrs. Hudson is the landlady of 221B Baker Street whom Holmes and Watson rent rooms from (referred numerically as 'Two-Twenty-One'); though it is not in her apparent job subscription, the "Scotswoman" also cleans, cooks, and answers orders for them. She is the equivalent to Mrs. Judson (BAKE, TGMD)
The Baker Street Irregulars (STUD, SIGN, CROO) were a band of young street urchins, recruited by Holmes to assist him in his cases. They are the equivalent to Eve Titus' Panadero Calle Irregulars (MEXI) and the equivalent to Diane N. Tran's Baker Street Irregulars.
Toby (SIGN) is a long-haired, lop-eared, brown-and-white half-spaniel and half-lurcher, with a very clumsy, waddling gait and a remarkable sense of smell. He is owned by the elderly Mr. Sherman; Holmes "borrows" the dog for various cases. He is the equivalent to the basset hound star of the same name from the film, The Great Mouse Detective.
"Cut out the poetry, Watson..."
Arguably, the most famous catch-phrase in the world of Sherlock Holmes is "Elementary, my dear Watson," however Holmes never uttered it throughout the Sacred Writings. The particular misquote was constructed by William Gillette (1853-1937), the first famous Holmes actor, from his play, Sherlock Holmes – A Drama in Four Acts, combining two quotes: "It is very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you" (CARD) and "Elementary" (CROO, without an attachment). The best known user of the catch-phrase is the actor Basil Rathbone.
The expression "The game's afoot," unlike the previous maxim, was actually uttered by Holmes in ABBE, although Conan Doyle never intended it to be a catch-phrase.
"In his didactic fashion..."
The most identifiable aspect of Sherlock Holmes is his costume:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes Holmes wearing "his long grey travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap" in the BOSC. However, it was Sidney Paget, the illustrator of the story in the Strand Magazine, who incorporated the deerstalker (fore-and-aft) cap and Inverness cloak. And he continued using the deerstalker and Inverness in SILV, PRIO, and FINA. Paget, in fact, enjoyed wearing these items when he travelled to the country. (The fashion-conscious Holmes would never commit such a faux pas to wear the deerstalker and Inverness in the city setting, as many uninformed depictions have done. These are traditionally for a rural outdoorsman, not the appropriate headgear for the properly-dressed urban gentleman.)
The actor William Gillette, best known in his day for embodying the celebrated character of Sherlock Holmes, imposed his cachet forever on the character's stereotype — deerstalker, Inverness, curved pipe, and the phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson." The large curved pipe, known as a calabash and/or meerschaum, was never written in Sacred Writings, but Gillette had an easier time delivering his lines with a curved pipe, by clamping it between his teeth, than with a straight one.
"It is a hobby of mine..."
The terms Sherlockian and Holmesian are commonly used among fans:
The British use the term "Holmesian," as they address one another by their surname rather than their first. Outside Britain, the term "Sherlockian" is used, for example "There is a Sherlockian society in Brazil." (It is "bad form" to address a Sherlockian (non-Britain) as a Holmesian, and vice versa.)
For the GMD world, the term Basilian is used to describe fans and all things pertaining to the Titus Canon and the film, the Great Mouse Detective. The term was "unofficially" coined by Diane N. Tran.
The term Sherlockiana is memorabilia associated with Sherlock Holmes, such as garments, books, posters, statues, journals, etc. The term Doylana is memorabilia associated with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, such as biographies and his other literary works (outside from Sherlock Holmes). The term Basiliana, of course, is Basilian memorabilia, again coined by Diane N. Tran.
"Play the game for the game's own sake..."
The Game, as it is entitled, is an intellectual game played Sherlockians and Holmesians, under the assumption that the Sacred Writings is the gospel truth — where all the characters were real, where all the events actually happened, collaborating them with historical fact — and that Conan Doyle was merely "the Literary Agent" acting for the real-life Dr. John H. Watson.
"Look upon you as a man of letters..."
The concept of "pastiches" is no stranger to the Sherlockian world:
Pastiches are stories that imitate the original writing style; it's fiction that resembles the original author's style, mimicking Conan Doyle and Titus. They remain as loyal as possible to the original concepts, designs of the characters, and historical settings, playing with "the Game" faithfully as possible.
"Vox populei..."
There are many, many societies where Sherlockians and Holmesians meet, communicate, and express their mutual interest and devotion to Sherlock Holmes, such as the Baker Street Irregulars of New York, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London, the Danish Baker Street Irregulars, the Northern Musgraves, the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, the Japan Sherlock Holmes Society (the largest in the world with over 24,000 members), etc.
"Scion" societies are groups "sanctioned" by more prestigious parent societies, for example the Danish Baker Street Irregulars has two scion societies — the Cimbrian Friends of Baker Street and the Copenhagen Speckled Gang. (It is "bad form" to refer a group as "scion" unless proper, formal authorisation has been bestowed.)
