“In glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases” [SPEC]
The "you see but you do not observe" crowd loves a good demonstration of Sherlock Holmes's abilities.
What makes his skills particularly impressive is how he makes mental calculations and draws conclusions in an instant. We certainly know that famous introductory scene, where Holmes casually remarks "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive," after shaking Watson's hand.
From that impressive first meeting, Watson gave us "the list" in A Study in Scarlet, outlining Holmes's limits, including:
6. Geology.—Practical, but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other.
"At a glance." That phrase indicates the instantaneous recognition that so impressed Watson. In fact, in the same story, Holmes later used that phrase to describe a number of his skills and observations:
“I can distinguish at a glance the ash of any known brand, either of cigar or of tobacco.”
But in all of this admiration for Holmes, we sometimes miss the astuteness of Dr. Watson. While Holmes may have chided him for seeing and not observing, his years as a medico left him trained with an eye for details:
“It was clear to me at a glance that he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease.”[BOSC]
“The candle in his hand shone upon his eager, stooping face and told me at a glance that something was amiss.” [ABBE]
As we'll see at Baker Street Elementary, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. And sometimes it falls far short.
Baker Street Elementary follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at the Baker Street Elementary website.
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