A Novelist's Dance
A Novelist's Dance is an article published on 1 december 1898 in The Pall Mall Gazette.
The article announced the fancy-dress ball organized by Conan Doyle at the Beacon Hill Hotel near Undershaw, and his activities in Southport.
A Novelist's Dance
Dr. Conan Doyle gives a dance on the 23rd inst. — the day before Christmas Eve — at Hindhead, which promises to be more than ordinarily interesting. All the guests will wear costumes representing the various characters in his books. This idea, of course, has originated with the invités themselves, and not with the novelist, who is the most modest of men. The dance will take place at the Hindhead Hotel, and not at the Doctor's house, which is too small for the purpose. The real occasion is a house-warming, Dr. and Mrs. Conan Doyle having established themselves in a new and very comfortably designed dwelling.
Some time ago, the Doctor was entertained at a dinner at Southport, given by his admirers. Southport has close associations with the author of "Sherlock Holmes," for it was here that he established himself in practice as a medical man. At one time he had the idea of specializing upon the eye, and he spent some time in Germany studying under an eminent professor. The special point about the Southport dinner was the fact that the sweets were in the form of little books, each bearing on its back the title of one of the Doctor's novels. It was a delicate compliment, as well as somewhat of a culinary achievement.
