TCDE-Team at 15:08, 19 April 2026

2026-04-19T15:08:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:08, 19 April 2026
Line 8:		Line 8:


	Sir Arthur, in those happy days~~<br />~~		<poem>
	(Now dead) when first you made me,~~<br />~~		[[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir Arthur]], in those happy days
	Upon my word I never thought~~<br />~~		(Now dead) when first you made me,
	That you would have betrayed me.~~<br />~~		Upon my word I never thought
	I always used to think that you~~<br />~~		That you would have betrayed me.
			I always used to think that you
	Shared my contempt for men in blue.		Shared my contempt for men in blue.

	Where'er the bulls-eye of the truth~~<br />~~		Where'er the bulls-eye of the truth
	They failed to land their shots on~~<br />~~		They failed to land their shots on
	(I speak in metaphor), I'd smile,~~<br />~~		(I speak in metaphor), I'd smile,
	And wink at dear old Watson,~~<br />~~		And wink at dear old [[Dr. Watson\|Watson]],
	And murmur nonchalantly, "Pooh!~~<br />~~		And murmur nonchalantly, "Pooh!
	These foolish, bungling men in blue!"		These foolish, bungling men in blue!"

	And when their weak attempts to solve~~<br />~~		And when their weak attempts to solve
	A problem I derided,~~<br />~~		A problem I derided,
	I thought that you despised them quite~~<br />~~		I thought that you despised them quite
	As fervently as I did.~~<br />~~		As fervently as I did.
	We scoffed together at their clue,~~<br />~~		We scoffed together at their clue,
	Those very comic men in blue.		Those very comic men in blue.

	And now you come, and in the Press~~<br />~~		And now you come, and in the Press
	Deliver this corrective,~~<br />~~		Deliver this corrective,
	And state without a touch of shame,~~<br />~~		And state without a touch of shame,
	"The Force is not defective."~~<br />~~		"The Force is not defective."
	By gad, you know, it's rather hard~~<br />~~		By gad, you know, it's rather hard
	Upon a poor detective.~~<br />~~		Upon a poor detective.
	I never thought to hear that you~~<br />~~		I never thought to hear that you
	Had gone and praised the men in blue.		Had gone and praised the men in blue.
			</poem>

	P. G. W.		P. G. W.

TCDE-Team at 17:33, 5 February 2025

2025-02-05T17:33:24Z

New page

''Sherlock Holmes's Lament'' is a poem written by P. G. W. ([[P. G. Wodehouse]]) published in [[The Daily Chronicle]] on 3 october 1905.

== Sherlock Holmes's Lament ==
[[File:the-daily-chronicle-1905-10-03-p4-sherlock-holmes-s-lament.jpg|thumb|280px|right|[[The Daily Chronicle]] (3 october 1905, p. 4)]]

[ [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir A. Conan Doyle]] has stated that he considers the British police to be the best in the world. ]

Sir Arthur, in those happy days 
(Now dead) when first you made me, 
Upon my word I never thought 
That you would have betrayed me. 
I always used to think that you 
Shared my contempt for men in blue.

Where'er the bulls-eye of the truth 
They failed to land their shots on 
(I speak in metaphor), I'd smile, 
And wink at dear old Watson, 
And murmur nonchalantly, "Pooh! 
These foolish, bungling men in blue!"

And when their weak attempts to solve 
A problem I derided, 
I thought that you despised them quite 
As fervently as I did. 
We scoffed together at their clue, 
Those very comic men in blue.

And now you come, and in the Press 
Deliver this corrective, 
And state without a touch of shame, 
"The Force is not defective." 
By gad, you know, it's rather hard 
Upon a poor detective. 
I never thought to hear that you 
Had gone and praised the men in blue.

P. G. W.

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

Sherlock Holmes's Lament - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 15:08, 19 April 2026

TCDE-Team at 17:33, 5 February 2025