The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1860
The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1860 is the second issue of the magazine of The Arthur Conan Doyle Study Group, published in march 1997 by Mark Chadderton.
The cover is illustrated with the article from The Idler (august 1894) titled People I Have Never Met — Dr. Conan Doyle including a quote and illustration of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Refugees.
The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1860
Introduction
Welcome to the second issue of the 'Cerebral Tentacle', which the Study Group is now hoping to send out Quarterly, this we think will be achievable, and with each members help and support, the currently small band of dedicated Doyleans who have so far joined, can benefit from each others knowledge. So, if there is anything that you wish to say upon matters Doylean, be it small or large — either a few lines or an article, send them in for inclusion in what, after all is YOUR newsletter. Any Doylean news will always be welcomed, just remember that because you know of something released or perhaps recently seen, doesn't necessarily mean that others will have seen or heard of this too.
Newsletter Covers
Any members who have any rarely seen pieces on ACD or unusual items suitable for reproducing as a 'Cerebral Tentacle' cover (i.e. one A5 size page), should send in their entry to either of the addresses printed at the end of this newsletter. The cover of this issue was part of a series of drawings running intermittently in "The Idler", all done by Scott Rankin. As well as the lovely depiction of ACD as 'Du Luht', (which should, of course be spelt — 'Du Lhut') from "The Refugees", other authors were also featured as a character from one of their own works, for example; Anthony Hope was portrayed as "The Prisoner of Zenda". It should also be added that the quote at the bottom of the ACD drawing is in truncated form and comes from Chapter XXXIII. — 'The Slaying of Brown Moose'.
Membership Fees & Involvement
Various people have enquired as to how much the membership of the ACDSG is going to be? The answer is that there will be no charge for the Newsletters sent out, or for the Bookmark detailed below. However, we do ask for your involvement through each member getting in touch at least once, between each issue of 'The Cerebral Tentacle' coming out. It need not be that article on one of the 'Conan Doyle Stories' that you intend sending in(?)... to continue your membership — all you have to do is write in and let us know you are still interested in what we are doing.
"The Conan Doyle Stories" Bookmark
Hopefully, everyone who has the introductory newsletter will have been sent this lovely bookmark that the Study Group has recently produced. For those of you that have just joined, it is a laminated A5 sized bookmark incorporating over both sides; a chronological listing of the stories, a bibliographical reference for each stories original magazine (or book) appearance, the page reference and also a newly devised 5-letter code for each story in the style of the 4-letter 'Christ Codes' used by the FMHC for the 60 ACD Sherlock Holmes Stories. The bookmark has been produced as a 'research aid' for the initial 'study programme' that the group has undertaken, which is based on the 76 short stories collected in one volume entitled "THE CONAN DOYLE STORIES"... as stated in the last issue, the bookmark can be used to enable scholars to read the stories in the order that they were originally written, thus providing the opportunity to trace the developement of ACD's interests and writing style, from the earliest effort included, published in December 1881 — when he was serving as 'surgeon' on the steamer "Mayumba" to West Africa, aged just 22 — through to the 76th story of the collection published in October 1922 — being just a few weeks before ACD's spirit-guide 'Pheneas', "came through for the first time". Please note that the bookmark is designed with the page numbers of the MURRAY, GALLEY, WINGS & BLITZ EDITIONS of the book, so if you have the book in any of these editions, and you would like one of these invaluable research aids, then just write in for your copy — there is no charge, as hopefully the 'return on the bookmarks production' will be some scholarship from those of you who will utilise this item. If you however, have the book in a different edition to those listed, please send in your editions publisher details and page references, and we will try to customise the existing bookmark to suit your copy.
Bookmark Correction
All those members who have received their copy of the bookmark prior to this newsletter PLEASE NOTE — there is a small error contained on your bibliographical entry for GREEN. Instead of the 'Pall Mall GAZETTE', it should read 'Pall Mall MAGAZINE'. Anyone who requires a replacement should write in if they feel that they will not be able to remember this when they come to utilise the bookmark !
The New 5-Letter Codes
After various discussions between members of the Study Group, the new codes were devised so that, like the 'Christ Codes', a useful abbreviation could be utilised instead of having to write out the full story title. It can be seen that the choice had to be carefully made as the obvious 4-letter abbreviation for some of these stories would have clashed with the 'Christ Codes', for example - 'The Silver Mirror', 'The Black Doctor' and 'The Last of the Legions' were just some of problem titles, along with the added complication of other story titles in the collection having duplicate words that could have been used — but would have led to possible confusion. Therefore the easiest way to get around these problem areas was to use the additional letter, so instead of a 4-letter coding we have the 5-letter coding... the finalised Codes presented upon the two pages that follow, should therefore bring the appropriate story to mind and can now be used in any article that you wish to submit.
Alphabetically — The codes are :
- ARCHA — The Man from Archangel.
- BANKS — How Copley Banks slew Captain Sharkey.
- BARRY — The Fall of Lord Barrymore.
- BEETL — The Beetle Hunter.
- BEE24 — B. 24.
- BLACK — The Black Doctor.
- BLIGH — The Blighting of Sharkey.
- BORRO — Borrowed Scenes.
- BRAZI — The Brazilian Cat.
- BROWN — The Brown Hand.
- BULLY — The Bully of Brocas Court.
- CARGO — The First Cargo.
- CATAC — The New Catacomb.
- CHATE — The Lord of Château Noir.
- CHEST — The Striped Chest.
- COMIN — The Coming of the Huns.
- CONTE — The Contest.
- CRABB — Crabbe's Practice.
- CRADD — The Dealings of Captain Sharkey with Stephen Craddock.
- CRIME — The Crime of the Brigadier. (***)
- CROXL — The Croxley Master.
- CURSE — The Curse of Eve.
- DEBUT — The Début of Bimbashi Joyce.
- DEPRO — De Profundis.
- DOCUM — A Medical Document.
- EXPER — The Great Keinplatz Experiment.
- FALCO — The Lord of Falconbridge.
- FIASC — The Los Amigos Fiasco.
- FIEND — The Fiend of the Cooperage.
- FIRST — His First Operation.
- FOXES — The King of the Foxes.
- GALLE — The Last Galley.
- GASTE — The Surgeon of Gaster Fell.
- GIANT — Giant Maximin.
- GREEN — The Green Flag.
- HOMEC — The Homecoming.
- HORRO — The Horror of the Heights.
- HOWIT — How it Happened.
- HOYLA — The Doctors of Hoyland.
- ICONO — An Iconoclast.
- JAPAN — The Japanned Box.
- JELLA — Jelland's Voyage.
- JEWSB — The Jew's Breastplate.
- JHABA — J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement.
- KITTS — Captain Sharkey : How the Governor of St. Kitt's came Home.
- LEATH — The Leather Funnel.
- LEGIO — The Last of the Legions.
- LOTNO — Lot No. 249.
- MARRI — The Marriage of the Brigadier.
- MIRRG — The Silver Mirror.
- MOSAI — A Literary Mosaic.
- MOTOR — The Great Brown-Pericord Motor.
- NIGHT — The Nightmare Room.
- iCROW — One Crowded Hour.
- PHYSI — A Physiologist's Wife.
- PLAYI — Playing with Fire.
- POINT — A Point of Contact.
- POLES — The Captain of the "Polestar".
- POTOF — The Pot of Caviare.
- REDST — The Red Star.
- SANNO — The Case of Lady Sannox.
- SEALE — The Sealed Room.
- SLAPP — The "Slapping Sal".
- SPECI — The Lost Special.
- SQUAR — That Little Square Box.
- STRAG — A Straggler of '15.
- TALKS — The Surgeon Talks.
- TERRO — The Terror of Blue John Gap.
- THIRD — The Third Generation.
- THOTH — The Ring of Thoth.
- THREE — The Three Correspondents.
- THROU — Through the Veil.
- TIMES — Behind the Times.
- TLIFT — The Lift.
- USHER — The Usher of Lea House School.
- WATCH — The Man with the Watches.
(***) = Please note that our fellow Branch Office 'GERARD'S HUSSARS' have an alternative code for this story ('HEFOX'), as the book which they use as a basis for their studies ("The Collected Brigadier Gerard Stories" — Hearthstone 1995) has a different story title to the one used in "The Conan Doyle Stories". It should also be noted that some of the other stories were actually published under a different title to the ones used in our collected edition... but for the sake of practicality, our codes are drawn up for the titles used in "The Conan Doyle Stories".
A "Conan Doyle Stories" Encyclopedia ?
ACDSG member Brian Pugh has graciously undertaken the arduous task of starting work on an Encyclopedia for the Study Groups initial area of study. It is an ambitious, long-term project that hopes to emulate the monumental Jack Tracey Holmesian Encyclopedia, in style and content, with a full listing of all things included in the 76 tales. Obviously — we wish Brian all the very best with what could turn out to be a landmark reference guide to Doylean studies.
The "Memories & Adventures" Index Conversion
Work is currently being finalised on the conversion of the 1930 index to ACD's autobiography, so that it can be used for the earlier 1924 (1989 O.U.P. reprint) version of that valuable book, which came without an index. This will be printed in booklet form, and will be quite inexpensive... if you have not yet indicated that you would like a copy, please do so as soon as possible so that the Study Group know how many to print up.
The Arthur Conan Doyle Altruistic Book Club
Members are reminded that in order to benefit from this scheme, they need to send in a list of up to 10 ACD books that they require for their own collection, once you have done this, you will be informed of exactly how the project is going to work to the advantage of everyone involved... come on Doylean's — get involved in this now ! The more people taking part — the better.
Study Group Meetings
Unfortunately, due to Employment and Further Education commitments for the joint-organisers of this Branch Office, no meetings have been organised for the first half of the year. However, they will both be fully supporting the two main FMHC functions of 1997; the 'far North' Diamond Jubilee Centenary Weekend in the Peak District, and of course the other one in the 'South'; the ACD Plaque Unveiling at Undershaw... as well as these, they will also be attending the Annual ACD Day at Minstead on the 22nd of May, that is organised by our fellow Branch Office THE GLADES OF THE NEW FOREST. If you are going to be at any of these events — see you there ! And mention of the New Forest brings us nicely onto...
"Nova Foresta Magazine"
Members might like to know of this excellently produced A5 sized booklet type magazine, which is issued twice yearly by 'Nova Foresta Books' — each issue contains 'Forest news, views, art, poetry and local history'. Of particular interest to any Doylean collector is the latest issue, (which is Vol 2 No.2 — Winter 1996/7) as it contains a 4-page article on ACD's New Forest connections by the magazines Editor Georgina Babey. The article also includes a nice facsimile of an ACD letter written from the Grand Hotel at Lyndhurst in the New Forest, concerning the fire in 1929 at ACD's New Forest home; 'Bignell Wood'. The ACD letter reproduced in the magazine is kept at the Hampshire Records Office in Sussex Street, Winchester (Ref. No. 94M72/F336). Anyone who would like to obtain a copy of this magazine for their Doylean collection should write to the following address : 185 Lyndhurst Road, Ashurst, Southampton, Hampshire S040 7AR. The price inclusive of postage is £2.51, please make cheques payable to 'G.Babey' (Overseas members can obtain a copy by sending five US dollar bills).
A 'Cumulative Collection'
During his lifetime, ACD wrote many 'Introductions', 'Prefaces' and 'Forewords' to a variety of books by other people... and these volumes are becoming exceedingly harder to obtain. Work is therefore currently being undertaken by the ACDSG to gather together as many of these pieces as possible to thus make them available to our members, in the form of a 'Cumulative Collection'. These scarce pieces of Doylean output will be printed (photocopied) in facsimile, on a uniform 'ACDSG' headed A4 size page format making them suitable for ring binding, but the collection will also be issued with protective card covers, with the front one having a proper ACD black and white photograph mounted (qlued !!!) upon it, there will also be an 'Introduction', a specially commissioned 'Foreword' to the project written by the Curator of the Conan Doyle (Crowborough) Establishment Malcolm Payne as well as a 'Cumulative Collection Contents Checklist', that will be used to tick off which items we so far have in the collection. In addition this will thus show which have yet to be obtained and distributed amongst holders of the 'Cumulative Collection'. So far there are six pieces in the collection, to be initially distributed — so we are appealing for anyone who may have one of these pieces to send in a photocopy. The price of the 'starter pack' detailed above, inclusive of postage and packaging will be £2.00. The easiest payment method is to just send in £2 in stamps (overseas members — please send as payment : four US dollar bills). The collection will be ready at the end of April.
A Useful Doylean Indexing Project ?
It has been suggested that an excellent Doylean research aid would be for an index to be produced by this Study Group indicating everything of a Doylean nature that has been included in the FMHC's Journal, up to the Journal's recent change to being 'twice-yearly' (i.e. 'The Baker Street Pillar Box' Numbers 1-12 and the 'New Baker Street Pillar Box' Numbers 13-28). The indexing would include any Doylean news items or articles, as well as giving reference to all those Holmesian pieces that use ACD in their content. This Doylean index would, of course, in essence be a tribute to the wonderful work that the FMHC has done in continually promoting the life and works of ACD. Is there a volunteer out there willing to work on what would be an enjoyable task ?
"We Hear of ACD Everywhere" 2
The latest FNHC Journal (#29 2/97) as per usual includes it's excellent ACD section 'The Lifework Carriage Company', one of the news items included therein is the listing of the Naxos Audiobooks — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — Four Short Stories, read by Carl Riga. As indicated with the details given for the Compact Disc, it is also available on double audio-cassette for which the details are now listed as follows : Priced £3.99 Catalogue No. NA 205014 (ISBN 962634550 0).
'Some Thoughts On...'
In order to encourage everyone to join in with the Study Group, this section of the Newsletter is being made available to any member who wishes to perhaps write just a few lines on some aspect of ACD's life and/or writings. Even if you wish to make only a small point, please do so — because it is only through sharing in each others Doylean thoughts, that every member can benefit; whatever you have to say could prove to be a springboard to a lengthier and important discussion within future issues of your Newsletter. First up then, with some interesting views on an aspect of ACD's work that has maybe been overlooked by a lot of Doyleans in the past is Malcolm Payne, one of our first members to join the ACDSG and himself a recognised Poet.
"Some Thoughts On...The Poetry of Arthur Conan Doyle'
One could be forgiven for asking, why the poetry of Hardy and Kipling is more appreciated today than the poetry of ACD. Even the poems of Hilaire Belloc are more often quoted. Some writers have said that the poetry of ACD is of no good standard. One could ask however, were these writers themselves good poets ? Perhaps it could be said that — without fail, none of them knew much about the technicalities of poetry. They had a layman's view. If they understood, and the words carried them along in a way they liked and trusted, and the rhyming words fell at line, ends, then it was a poem with which they could identify. But what of amphibrach, anacreontics, anacrusis, iamb, anapest, trochee and dactyl ? Surely one must know the craft fully before entering into any discussion on poetry?
One can most certainly recognize, in the poetry of ACD, the full knowledge of the art. One also finds sincerity, and no pretentiousness. One must enquire, 'How does a poem mean?', rather than 'what'? In this poet's opinion, the poetry of ACD is equal to the work of many of his contemporaries, including Hardy and Kipling, also such as Arthur Beckett, and Arthur F. Bell. Belloc has the edge with his fine use of imagery, but ACD can equal the rhythm of Belloc, and the humour, especially in his monologues.
One of Conan Doyle's most poignant poems is surely 'The Guns in Sussex'. Written during the Great War, in the garden of his Sussex home 'Windlesham', the poem sets the scene in the eight acre spread, bordered to the north by tall pines, and to the west and south by the gorse and heather of Crowborough Common. Here the quiet was disrupted by the distant ominous rumble of the great guns at the front. With most people who heard such terrible sounds having loved ones among the tearing explosions, this almost constant gnawing grumble was a pain cutting into their very being. The first stanza gives us a glimpse of the atmosphere as seen through the thoughts of ACD.
- "Light green of grass and richer green of bush
- Slope upwards to the darkest green of fir,
- How still ! How deathly still ! And yet the hush
- Shivers and trembles with some subtle stir,
- Some far-off throbbing like a muffled drum,
- Beaten in broken rhythm oversea,
- To play the last funereal march of some
- Who die to-day that Europe may be free."
The comparison of the colours of rural Sussex, to the image of a corpse-strewn battlefield heard in the belching guns, shares with us the moment. This is the poet's use of imagery throughout the rest of the poem. In the four stanzas that follow to complete the poem, even '... the circling midge's piping shrill...' is set against that ; awful menacing rumble, as are the flowers, bees, and his children's laughter. Please, do not believe what others may have to say, especially in regards to the poetry of ACD being inferior... taste the poetry of Arthur Conan Doyle for yourself. Malcolm Payne. 28/12/96.
"One Thousand Beautiful Things"
As an accompaniment to Malcolm Payne's thoughts on ACD's poetry we hereby reproduce the three pieces by ACD that were used by Arthur Mee in his 1925 book, "One Thousand Beautiful Things — Chosen from the Life and Literature of the World" published by Hodder & Stoughton. Of interest to the Doylean is the fact that the trio of poems all bear different titles to the ones they have in ACD's collected volumes of poetry. 'The Holy Grail' is the same poem as 'A Parable', from ACD's third collection of poems : "The Guards Came Through" (1919), 'A Prayer for the Fight' is also from that collection, but is in fact the sixth and concluding stanza of the poem entitled 'Fate', and the longest piece used, 'And We Follow, Ever Follow' is the same poem as 'The Banner of Progress' from ACD's second collection entitled "Songs of the Road" (1911). Does anyone know of the reasons for these changes ? Possibly the 'A Parable' to 'The Holy Grail' renaming occured because ACD had already published an entirely different poem under the title of 'A Parable' in his first collection of poems : "Songs of Action" (1898), and the changing of 'Fate' to 'A Prayer for the Fiqht' is logical as it is only the final part of the original — but what of the other ? Any ideas or further thoughts will be welcomed. The ACD pieces reproduced below cover less than 1 page of the 322 pages of 'Beautiful Things', being on pages 157-158.
Conclusion
We hope that there is something in this Newsletter that you will either want to support or join in with, maybe you would like to see something else in here... a competition ?, personal wants ads ? or perhaps more contemporary Doylean reprints like those we are featuring as our front and back covers. Surely you have something that we can share with other members via 'The Cerebral Tentacle' ?
Your conanically,
Mark Chadderton — Editor.
- Copyright remains to the individual authors.
