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Sherlock Holmes was one smart crumpet. Even the most devious criminals were inevitably caught -- usually thanks to some small detail noticed only by the great detective. Though we doubt any real person could ever possess Holmes' incredible powers of deduction, his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, did in fact base him on a real person. The Chronicles of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle explains. When Doyle was studying to be a doctor, Dr. John Bell was one of his professors. Holmes was particularly impressed with Bell's talent for observation. In hopes of learning more about his patients
and perhaps treating them more effectively, Bell would study their hands, look for tattoos, and listen for accents. However, the similarities don't end there. Like Holmes, Bell reportedly had an angular face and "shrewd eyes." Additionally, both were Renaissance men, though their choice in hobbies differed. Bell enjoyed bird watching, sports, and poetry, while Holmes was never without his treasured violin. But what of Sherlock's unique name? Elementary, my dear Moriarty. This biography of Doyle suggests it was likely a simple hybrid of jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes and violinist Alfred Sherlock.
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