A Grand Gift
I don’t know how many hours of my life have been devoted to reading Sherlock Holmes books
and stories, but I do know that the number is quite a substantial one. This is true, not least of which,
because I’ve read most of them over and over again. I never tire of the adventures of Mr. Holmes
and Dr. Watson. And, since this page contains photos of London, it seemed fitting to pay homage
to them by using quotes from some of Arthur Conan Doyle’s good works.
At least, that’s how it started out. But these pages have been known to take on a life of their own,
so it didn’t surprise me that, somewhere along the way, quotes from Paddington Bear began to
appear. Not exactly what you’d expect, but it seemed to work out.
I don’t think Mr. Holmes would mind. After all, Paddington is quite an exceptional bear.
— Nancy
You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite
invaluable as a companion.
Except for Paddington’s quotes, which are noted, quotes are from
Sherlock Holmes, by way of Arthur Conan Doyle.
The photos on this page were all taken in London, England.
Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons, with the greatest for the last.
Above & below, 221-B Baker Street is now a Sherlock Holmes museum.
There is nothing more to be said or done tonight, so hand me my violin and let us
try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable ways
of our fellowmen.
Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare
to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out
of that window, hover over this great city, and peep in at the strange coincidences, the
cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, it would make
all fiction with its conventionalities most stale and unprofitable.
How sweet the morning air is! Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London
cloud-bank. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of
the great elemental forces of Nature!
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.
Paddington Bear first appeared in a book by Michael Bond, “A Bear Called Paddington,” published in 1958.
Since then, the lovable bear has been featured in 20 books, which have sold more than 30 million
copies worldwide. Paddington’s starred in his own tv series and in films and has become a
much loved classic character in children’s literature. He’s represented above in one of 50
Paddington Bear statues around London.
Below are a few quotes from Paddington Bear.
The first is my favorite – I know exactly how he feels.
Things happen to me. I’m that sort of bear.
In London everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.
A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his
hat in case of emergency.
If we are kind and polite, the world will be all right.
Photo Credits: Pixabay and LocoSteve@Wikimedia Commons