I Am Exceedingly Obliged to You for Your Co-Operation

D S O F June 2010 N Volume 14 Number 2 E T 100 Years Ago...Continued from Page 2 I H R E and was intrigued at once. According by the Eminent Surgeon he must indeed of reader to author, where the former, F to G.J. Cubitt years later, “The album have seen it as coincidence. (Cubitt hu- gleefully alert, clutches at any chance to gave birth to the idea and he left many morously sent to Cornelius Helling an cry, ‘Now I’ve caught you!’ and rejoices drawings about, evidently working out “autograph” composed of stick figures in the author’s supposed discomfiture.” his code and messages.” And, of course, who form letters with the poses of their “To assume for a moment,” said she, when he wrote his story Doyle not only bodies. These do not much resemble ei- “that a man who has invented hun- used “dancing men” inspired by G.J.’s ther Doyle’s dancing men or the restless dreds of original plots for stories would work, but indirectly credited the Cubitts imps/fays, whereas the latter do resem- need to appropriate, stealthily and with Sherlock Holmes for their inspiration by borrowing their ble each other very much. But it is not criminal intent, an idea from a child’s COLLECTION S name for the central characters, and at all clear that Cubitt’s 1950s figures magazine, is ludicrous.” “As to the ‘curt modeling the name of “Ridling Thorpe were intended to reflect the dancing tone’ of Sir Arthur’s reply to the ‘courte- “Your merits should be publicly recognized” (STUD) Manor” on Ridlington and Edingthorpe, men of the old autograph album, nor ous’ letter of warning (!) [emphasis and way-stations in Norfolk on the way to that after the lapse of more than half a exclamation point in original], if readers Happisburgh. century Cubitt would have remembered knew the number of letters of warning, in detail the cipher used by him at the criticism, flattery, advice and request C o n t e n t s “I am exceedingly obliged to Cubitt pointed out to Helling that he age of seven.) that such eminent authors as Sir A. you for your co-operation” himself “did not invent secret writing.” Conan Doyle receive, they would won- “I am exceedingly It is most unlikely that he would have Actually, the restless imps/fays themselves der that they are answered at all.” “An obliged to you...” (“The Illustrious Client”) seen the American St. Nicholas, but it were not particularly original. Others author has no more time to give away to by Kris Kiesling and Timothy Johnson seems wholly plausible that he would have noticed in an 1874 encyclopedia strangers than any other working-man, 1 Kris Kiesling have seen the “Restless Fays” in Boy’s of Freemasonry a “tree alphabet” that and it is therefore in a spirit of righteous Own and modeled his dancing men somewhat resembled them (and the danc- indignation that I object to the eminent The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger” opens with these words from Dr. Watson: on them – and then Doyle modeled ing men), and an “alphabet of Hermes” surgeon’s objection to the curtness of 100 Years Ago “When one considers that Mr. Sherlock Holmes was in active practice for twenty- his own dancing men on Cubitt’s. It is that resembled them more closely; and a the message he received. His apparent 2 three years, and that during seventeen of these I was allowed to co-operate with also thoroughly plausible to think that cipher composed of “little figures of men” doubt of its truth is uninteresting.” “ him and to keep notes of his doings, it will be clear that I have a mass of material Cubitt did not recall where his seven- appears in the 1866 edition of the U.S. “Also, as an anatomist, he should at my command.” Twenty-first century research libraries, it is equally clear, have year-old self had gotten the idea. In Army’s “Manual of Signals.” surely see that the Restless Imps and the 50 Years Ago a mass of material, although how much of it is at their command might be a matter of any event, neither Doyle himself nor Dancing Men, though similar, are not 3 discussion or debate. Certainly, over the last decade or so, there has been quite a bit of young Cubitt had any reason to think In defense of The Bookman itself, it must identical.” discussion around the topic of uncovering hidden collections. Those discussions have that their cipher might be derived from be said that the magazine seems to have led to concerted actions by research libraries toward streamlining acquisition proce- an American magazine of thirty years regretted giving a platform to Lyndon It seems appropriate to allow Miss From the President dures, “more product and less process” archival arrangement and description processing, before. So while the dancing men may Orr and the Eminent Surgeon to vent Wells, who herself was to publish more 4 increased digitization programs, and other activities that make more materials available to very well have been rooted ultimately in their nastiness. In its July 1910 issue than 70 mysteries and 100 other books, students, faculty, and interested researchers. the restless imps, there was no way for it printed a letter from the American to have the last word. Doyle to know this; and when the rest- author Carolyn Wells, who wrote “to An Update from While many of these projects and programs have taken place within individual institu- less imps were brought to his attention protest that most objectionable attitude tions, other cooperative activities between two or more institutions are becoming more the Collections apparent. Some of these cooperative ventures are driven by an economy of size while 4 others relate to the interrelationships of collections. An example of the first type might be the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP), an off-site library storage Remembrances For any inquiries contact: Continued on page 6 In supporting the Sherlock Holmes Collections, many donors have made Timothy J. Johnson, Curator Musings contributions either in honor or in memory of special persons. 612-624-3552 or [email protected] 5 “TO STRENGTHEN OUR RESOURCES…” (“The Red-Headed League”) In Honor Of From John Bergquist Michael Kean Sherlock Holmes Collections Cooperation is the key to our future success. Within the Doylean/Sherlockian uni- Bob & Lucy Brusic Michael Kean Suite 111, Elmer L. Andersen Library Using the Collections verse a rich landscape of collections exist, each inviting exploration, and each often Timothy Johnson, Curator Richard Sveum University of Minnesota 7 looking for ways to strengthen their resource base for future research, publication, Vivian Mae McKuras Mike and Julie McKuras 222 21st Ave. S. and enlightenment into the world of Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. Minneapolis, MN 55455 Greta Ann Reich Mike and Julie McKuras Telephone: 612-626-9166 Acquisitions We’re extremely thankful to our friends at the Baker Street Irregulars Trust who send FAX: 612-625-5525 In Memory Of From 7 us material that fits in with our collecting mission. In the spirit of cooperation, we Howard & Edna Hong Philip H. Swiggum Mailing list corrections requested— hope to gather material more appropriate for the BSI Archives and offer it to them Allen Mackler Richard Sveum Because of the high cost of returned newsletters, in the near future. We would encourage donors who have Baker Street Irregular Dr. Alvin E. Rodin Jack D. Key we would appreciate being informed of changes Remembrances materials to contact Tom Francis, Chairman of the Trust, for additional information. of address or other corrections. 8 (E-mail <[email protected]>.) Working together we can add to this rich landscape and keep forever green the memory of the Master. Timothy J. Johnson, Curator 8 Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections 1 The Adventure of the Media Buzz... Continued from Page 6 sibility that other aged material might by sending him a one-cent postcard” be palmed off on him.” with some crude sarcastic doggerel ending “But having tried all other What might collaboration look like within COLLECTIONS Now, Mr. Orr’s powers of observa- things to justify your acts, / Im-’pure this “irregular” group of scholars, teachers, tion were clearly rudimentary. He said coincidence’ alone remains — and fits students and readers? Here are the web addresses for the institu- 100 that the cipher in Poe’s The Gold Bug the facts!” tions cited, as listed on the Sherlock Hol- mes Collections webpage (http://special.lib. Y E ars ag O “consist[s] of arithmetic numbers,” These and other questions about col- The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections when in fact it consists of numbers Now, if the Eminent Surgeon had umn.edu/rare/ is a quarterly newsletter published by the laboration will be one of the main items holmes.phtml). and of punctuation marks. He said couched his original letter in courteous Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections by Thaddeus Holt under discussion during our “Spirits of which seek to promote the activities, inter- that no “ciphers were employed” in tones, without doubt he would have Sherlock Holmes” conference in August. The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection at the ests and needs of the Special Collections “The Dancing Men,” evidently think- received from Doyle an equally polite Toronto Public Library — and Rare Books Department, University of In its issue for April 1910, The Book- A pre-conference breakfast meeting with ing “cipher” meant only “number.” He reply setting forth the true origin of the http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/uni_ Minnesota Libraries.

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