Dr. Watson Quotes

~A compilation of my favorite quotes by or about Dr. Watson.~

One of my favorite moments from the Sherlock Holmes canon is when Watson carries his point of accompanying Holmes despite the danger he ran. In The Final Problem, Holmes advises Watson to return to England while he endeavors to elude Professor Moriarty, who now seeks his life, alone.

Watson wrote, "It was hardly an appeal to be successful with one who was an old campaigner as well as an old friend. We sat in the Strasburg salle-à-manger arguing the question for half an hour, but the same night we had resumed out journey and were well on our way to Geneva." (The Final Problem, page 734)

This quote not only shows Watson's tenacious loyalty and bravery, but also his strong will, for he won the argument and they continued the journey together.

 When Watson recognizes Holmes after he thought Holmes was dead for some years: "I rose to my feet, stared at him for some seconds in utter amazement, and then it appears that I must have fainted for the first and last time in my life." (The Adventure of the Empty House, 789)

By Sidney Paget

Watson's quip: "I don't admit that a fresh illustration is an explanation." He had requested Holmes to explain how he came a conclusion and Holmes began to explain by starting with an example. Holmes replied to Watson's quip, "Bravo Watson! A very dignified and logical remonstrance." (The Disappearance of Lady Carfax, 1363)

Some of my favorite quotes about or to Watson, spoken by Holmes:

"There is no prospect of danger, or I should not dream of stirring without you." (The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, 843)

"And a singularly consistent investigation you have made, my dear Watson....I cannot at the moment recall any possible blunder which you have omitted." (The Disappearance of Lady Carfax, 1371). Oh, poor Watson, it seems a bit undeserved too. 

"The ideas of my friend Watson, though limited are exceedingly pertinacious."  (The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier, page 1483)

"I am getting into your involved habit of telling a story backward."  (The Problem of Thor Bridge, page 1605) 

'"Cut out the poetry, Watson," said Holmes severely. "I note that it was a high brick wall."' After Watson gives a soulful description of a wall. (The Adventure of the Retired Colourman, 1734)

"Good Old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age." (His Last Bow, 1433)

Source:
The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, vol. 1 & 2, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Edited by Leslie S. Klinger. W. W. Norton & Company. New York: 2005.

Brave - What is Young MacGuffin Saying? Translation

So, after seeing Brave several times, it appears Young MacGuffin, who speaks only Doric  (a dialect of English), has just three lines.

The first one is in the scene where the suitors are presented.

He says, "If he was a wee bit closer, I could lob a caber at him, ye ken."

If you know even a little about Scotland, then this one is pretty straight forward.

If you don't, I'll explain a wee bit here: Do you remember in the Highland Games scene when one of the men throws a a log that looks rather like a telephone pole? Well, that log is a called a"caber." The Caber Toss is a traditional Scottish game.
"Ken" is the Scot's word for "know."

Young MacGuffin's second line is right after Elinor turns into a bear and Fergus hears her roar and runs up the stairs to go bear hunting. I honestly can't understand it. To me, to sounded something like "Since yer sayin it I wasna anya say it myself. Og dae gahere wa a liɾle." (I'll go out there and watch a little?!) I'm missing words, possibly have it totally wrong...

Anyhow, just before his line, Lord MacGuffin says, "We haven't had desert yet."

His third line is in the scene where Merida walks into the room in the middle of the battle and then speaks with the lords. When she tells them she thinks they should all be able to find love for themselves the suitors each pipe in.

Young MacGuffin says, ""It's jist nae fair makin us ficht for the hand o the quine that disnae want any bit o it. Ken?" (Found on MetaFilter). The same person who posted this line also posted a translation: "It's just not fair making us fight for the hand of a girl who doesn't want anything to do with it. You know?"

The first and third lines and translations I found in a comment by gnuhavenpier on MetaFilter.  (Scroll down)

The second one, I was trying to figure out by listening to the movie. Doric speakers, please help!!!

I wrote more about Young MacGuffin and Doric in my post: Brave -What is Young MacGuffin Saying?

Legends - a retelling of history

"Look to the past, learn for the future." This was our motto in American Girl's Club.

 "Legends are lessons. They ring with truth." -Queen Elinor, in Brave (a Pixar-Disney film)

"'Haflings!' laughed the Rider that stood beside Eomer. 'Haflings! But they are only a little people in old songs and children's tales out of the North. Do we walk in legends or on the green earth in the daylight?'
'A man may do both,' said Aragorn. 'For not we but those who come after will make the legends of our time.'" - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Based on fact, legends reflect reality as it was, and sometimes as it is.

Learn from legends or else "History repeats itself." 

Brave - Transformations to Transform Fate

Brave has a rather unusual plot line -for a movie.

The story that most reminds me of this plot line appears, interestingly enough, in The Little House on the Highland series. These are stories about Laura Ingalls Wilder's great-grandmother, Martha, who grew up in Scotland. In a tale that little Martha supposedly heard as a child, a girl is supposed to marry a man she doesn't love at the order of her father. She runs off to the church in despair and overhears two mice talking about her.  One says to the other that what she really needs is such and such a fix. She takes their words to heart and performs the spell, then she goes home to bed. The next morning, her wedding day, the detested suitor arrives. She appears, to the surprise of all, with the head of dog. The suitor begins to rail at her father for cheating him and says he won't have her. Meanwhile the man she loves arrives and he takes her in his arms despite her dog's head. Her head turns back to normal and she weds the man she loves and who truly loves her.

Like Brave, the spell worked an unexpected animal transformation but in the end, the desired outcome arrives. It just arrives in a way no one thought it would, via their reactions to the transformation. 

Picture from Karen's Whimsey

Brave - What is Young MacGuffin saying?

(For a translation of the lines please see: Brave - What is Young MacGuffin saying? Translation)

In Disney's Brave, no one (in the film and that I know in the audience) can tell what Young MacGuffin is saying. My question is, could he be speaking Scottish Gaelic? The flavor of the words sounded like Gaelic, but I couldn't be sure.

So I looked it up online. Well, the flavor is Gaelic, but he is technically speaking English! IMBD, among other sources, reports that he speaks the Doric dialect (of English).  This is the dialect of the Scottish hometown of the voice of Young MacGuffin,  Kevin McKidd. (The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter )

Kevin McKidd told The Hollywood Reporter, "It definitely is a fanaticized version of Scotland but I think that they did capture the essence and spirit of the landscape and spirit. The humorous and wildness but warmth still exists, really captured that, kind of a love letter to Scotland in a way. I think the landscapes they created were almost more beautiful than Scotland."

There are other interesting facts amongst the trivia. Seems like this was a film of firsts:
IMBD Brave Trivia

Want to learn more and see samples of Doric?
Wikipedia entry on Doric

Brave - a Mother and Daughter Movie / a Film about Family

Bagpipes, clans, kilts, haggis, highlander cattle, a Clydesdale horse (named Angus),"stubborn," fighting between the clans, highland games in which is featured the caber toss, tug-o-war, and Scottish dancing. These are all elements of Scottish culture that were woven into the Disney-Pixar film, Brave.

However, beneath the exterior is a tale that touches on the relationship between many mothers and daughters of just about any nation. The family is one that mirrors many across America. At any rate, I can certainly see mine. It's the mother who runs the family. She is an intelligent perfectionist and visionary who "knows" how everything must be done and what everyone should pursue in their lives.  Fortunately for me, my mother is better at listening than Merida's.  Like Elinor, my mother tries to keep everyone "civilized" when the rest (father included) are goofing off at the dinner table and trying to get her to let us have desserts!  Dad gets himself a big bowl of ice cream and my brothers say, "Dad did it, so why can't we?"

The father, Fergus, is big and strong, loves his family and is a great protector. However, he is lacking in leadership and courage in dealing with family affairs. He didn't know how to handle the betrothal of his daughter. He didn't know how to tell her that suitors were coming and that she was about to be betrothed to one of them and he didn't know what to say to the clans when they arrived. His favorite past-times are fighting and storytelling. He doesn't know how to lead unless it is into a battle. There are many fathers who are good at doing their job to sustain their families but don't know how to approach relationships their daughters have with men.

The mother, Elinor, is the one who ran things, she knew what to say and had expectations for everyone. When her husband got involved in a brawl (and was having a grand ole time) she just gave him a look and he knew she was disappointed. So then, he started making sheepish excuses and then simply said, "I'm sorry."  




Merida, the daughter, doesn't like being ruled over by her mother. It's typical, the daughter doesn't want to be the perfect lady her mother tries to get her to be. Merida wants to run free, have adventures, explore nature, ride, and practice arms!

The triplet brothers are funny little things. They are loved by all in the family despite their pranks. 

Both the mother and daughter had to learn lessons.  This is one of the best things about the film. Many films undermine parental authority, but this one shows both as making mistakes.  It also shows how hasty, desperate actions can lead to events no one wants. How horrible would you feel if your mother turned into a bear and may remain a bear forever because of your actions, accidental as they may be? 

Brave is a great film because it makes you think.

They say, "you never know what you got til it's gone."

Let's not let that happen in our lives. We can do this by learning from Merida and her family.

I am happy to say that the film has a happy ending! Merida and Elinor have a healed relationship. A brighter future is in store for Merida, her family, and the lads from the other clans!

All pictures are downloads made available by Disney on their website: http://disney.go.com/brave/index.html#/downloads/standard/