He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false p… - Arthur Conan Doyle
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He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer. They were admirable things for the observer- excellent for drawing the veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained observer to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his.
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22 1859 – July 7 1930) was a British writer and physician, most famous as the creator of the character Sherlock Holmes.
Biography information from
Wikiquote·
Portrait adapted from
Wikimedia Commons, Walter Benington (Public domain / CC0)
Also Known As
Birth Name:
Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle
Native Name:
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle
Alternative Names:
Sir A. Conan Doyle
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Arthur Conan, Sir Doyle
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Conan Doyle
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Shorter versions of this quote
He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false position.
They were admirable things for the observer - excellent for drawing the veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained reasoner to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his.
Far away on the path we saw Sir Henry looking back, his face white in the moonlight, his hands raised in horror, glaring helplessly at the frightful thing which was hunting him down. But that cry of pain from the hound had blown all our fears to the winds. If he was vulnerable he was mortal, and if we could wound him we could kill him. Never have I seen a man run as Holmes ran that night.
It was easier to know it than to explain why I knew it.
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