Thomas Carlyle
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Historical figure.
Thomas Carlyle (4 december 1795 – 5 february 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. Known as the "sage of Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the Victorian era.
In the Sherlock Holmes stories
A Study in Scarlet (1887)
- Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics Sherlock Holmes appeared to know next to nothing. Upon Dr. Watson quoting Thomas Carlyle, Holmes inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done (STUD 213).
- However Sherlock Holmes quoted Thomas Carlyle (without knowing him) : « They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains. » (from "Frederick the Great", 1858) (STUD 213).
The Sign of Four (1890)
- Dr. Watson worked back to Richter through Carlyle (SIGN 1376).
