The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1862
The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1862 is the fourth issue of the magazine of The Arthur Conan Doyle Study Group, published in september 1997 by Mark Chadderton.
The cover is illustrated with a photo from The Strand Magazine (january 1913) with a Professor Challenger statuette to advertise Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Poison Belt.
The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1862
Introduction
Thank you to all the members of this Branch Office who have taken the time to get involved over the last 43 months. We are counting on all the membership continuing to do this, as it is your participation in our Doylean studies that is crucial to our further progress. Interest in ACD is what we are trying to encourage, especially amongst the membership of the FMHC, and as previously stated in this newsletter — 'being a Holmesian is the soundest basic requirement to being a Doylean, as you already know a good deal of ACD through reading about Holmes & Watson' — therefore ; at your next FMHC related gathering, spread the ACDSG word and encourage others to join us, the more people we get, the better, in order that we will be more able to reflect the great diversity of ACD and his life through the interests and studies of our membership sharing their own Doylean knowledge.
Two areas which we would like to see flourish within the pages of this newsletter are reprints of rare Doylean items and more importantly — further discussion of any points raised or statements made, it is encouraging to report that some members have started to get involved in this way, and we can only hope that you all continue this.
Newsletter Covers
Please remember, we are always on the look-out for items of interest to use on the covers of this publication. Any ideas or submissions should be sent to the usual address given at the end of this newsletter. This quarter, we feature an interesting little piece from the January 1913 edition of the "Strand Magazine" (Issue #265). Green & Gibson ("A Bibliography of A. Conan Doyle" OUP 1983) note that "The publisher mounted a special publicity campaign which included a plaster model of Professor Challenger, posters, display material, and the large paper edition, the latter proving an unexpected failure." (Page 170.)
Considering ACD's occasional use of disguise throughout his life (ACD dressed as Challenger, complete with bushy beard, within the photographic illustrations in the 1st Edition of "The Lost World"), it is tempting to suggest that the statuette of Challenger could also be an anachronistic portrayal of ACD playing football for Portsmouth F.C. where, during the 1880's ACD played either in goal, or as a full-back under the disguised name of "A.C. Smith". However, idle Doylean thoughts aside, it would certainly be of interest to know exactly how many of these 12" high statuettes were made, and if any are still known to exist ? Maybe one of our membership can supply the answer or location of any that remain ?
That Little Square Box
Contrary to what was stated in the last issue, the ACDSG will be issuing a separate publication of articles covering various aspects of this first chronological story from our basic study book, "The Conan Doyle Stories". Members are reminded that there is still time to submit an article on SQUAR (or perhaps just a couple of lines of your views), as we are honing to produce this at or around the same time of our next newsletter. There will, however, have to be a small cover price for this, of which finalised details will be sent out to members in due course.
Cross Indexing
Due to some inevitable duplication of subject matter between this publication and that of our parent company/study group ; subjects or items recently featured in the FMHC Journals will henceforth be noted for your convenience thus : e.g. (*NBSP8#30/p.53*) or (*FMHCMEMO#1/p.9*).
Conan Doyle Writes Grant Allen
A Discussion of the Authorship of "Hilda Wade"
In The Cerebral Tentacle No. 1861, within the examination of the textual background to the article entitled 'The Pigs of Celebrities' from The Strand Magazine of March 1899, there is an incidental reference to that issue of the magazine containing the first episode of Grant Allen's serialised novel Hilda Wade. The reference continues by suggesting that this was: "--- a novel that ACD wrote the final 2 chapters for, due to Allen's untimely death through ill health." (1) Whilst admirably setting the cover item within the context of one of ACD's literary acquaintances, this statement is slightly misleading, in that ACD did not actually write the two final chapters of Hilda Wade. As the accounts of the matter given by ACD and by The Strand Magazine are slightly contradictory, it is hoped that the following account will provide some clarification on the situation.
It was Grant Allen who encouraged ACD to move to Hindhead, for the sake of the health of ACD's wife, Louise. Allen, like Louise, had contracted tuberculosis, but he then discovered that the fresh, pine-scented air and dry, sandy soil of the Hindhead area provided a near-ideal environment for diminishing the rate of progress of the disease. It was, in fact, from a liver disease, and not tuberculosis that Allen was to die at the early age of 51 on 25 October 1899. ACD dramatically records visiting Allen, whose house lay within half a mile of ACD's own house, Undershaw, a few days before Allen died. (2) In his autobiography, ACD also gives an account of his involvement with Hilda Wade, after discussing the fact that he had turned down an offer from the executors of Robert Louis Stevenson for him to complete Stevenson's unfinished novel, St Ives. ACD, incidentally, then goes on to relate an amusing story in connection with him being mistaken for the author of Hilda Wade. (3)
On the main point of ACD completing the work of another writer, ACD says in his autobiography: 'I had one experience of it when my neighbour at Hindhead, Grant Allen, was on his death-bed. He was much worried because there were two numbers of his serial, "Hilda Wade", which was running in "The Strand Magazine", still uncompleted. It was a pleasure for me to do them for him, and so relieve his mind, but it was difficult collar work, and I expect they were pretty bad.' (4) 'ACD, thus, does not claim that he wrote the last two chapters of Hilda Wade, for he admits that they were merely '--- uncompleted ---'. The reading of the whole of Hilda Wade might be described as 'collar work', as might be expected with a work which was created by the leading member of the highly moral group of Hindhead writers known as 'The Hill-Top Writers', albeit one who wrote several books which were looked upon as being scandalous.
There is an easily-discernible improvement in the style of some of the writing in the final two chapters of Hilda Wade which indicates ACD's contribution. That influence certainly seems to be more-prevalent in the final chapter, and this may well indicate that Allen had written more of the penultimate chapter than of the final chapter. This may explain the way in which, while ACD mentioned completing the final two chapters, The Strand Magazine acknowledges him only as contributing to the final chapter. The book edition of Hilda Wade, (5) published in 1900 by Grant Richards, who was both Grant Allen's nephew and a close friend of ACD, does not acknowledge ACD in any way, although it does acknowledge Grant Allen's indebtedness to another writer, thus: "PUBLISHER'S NOTE / It had been Mr. Grant Allen's intention to acknowledge in a brief preface his indebtedness for one of the main conceptions of this book to Mr. Furneaux Jordan's Character in Body and Parentage." (6)
The Strand Magazine included the following note immediately prior to the publication of the final chapter of Hilda Wade:
'The following chapter had been roughly sketched before his final illness, and his anxiety, when debarred from work, to see it finished was relieved by the considerable kindness of his friend and neighbour, Dr. Conan Doyle, who, hearing of his trouble, talked it over with him, gathered his ideas, and finally wrote it out for him in the form in which it now appears.' (7)
There is, sadly, no biography of Grant Allen. His nephew, Grant Richards, did publish, in 1900, a 220-page hardbacked reminiscence and part assessment written by Grant Allen's friend, Edward Clodd, but this is far from being a comprehensive coverage of Allen's life. (8) There is no reference to ACD, or to Hilda Wade within the text, although Hilda Wade is included in the bibliography of Allen's work. Grant Richards himself makes no reference to the writing of Hilda Wade in his own literary reminiscences: Author Hunting - By An Old Literary Sportsman, which has an additional sub-title of Memories of Years Spent Mainly in Publishing / 1897-1925. (9) Rather interestingly, though, Grant Allen does mention that, on 4 July 1899, '--- my cousin, young Grant Allen, having suffered a minor operation and having been kept in bed for a long time, writes to me that "the Bernard Shaws often come up to see me". (He adds "and so does Conan Doyle. He brought me up a gramophone which he's lent me for a few days". Gramophones must have been rare at that time.)' The 'Grant Allen' mentioned here is Jerrard Grant Allen, the son of the Grant Allen who persuaded ACD to live in Hindhead. It may also be noted that ACD used a gramophone in MAZA, which was published in The Strand Magazine in October 1921 (although the story had already appeared as a play, entitled The Crown Diamond, in April of that year), but which is considered by almost all of the Holmesian chronologists as occurring in 1903. ACD had, however, used a gramophone in the first story which he had published in The Strand Magazine, in 'The Voice of Science', published in March 1891, before any of the short Sherlock Holmes cases.
Grant Richards had actually mentioned ACD in the first half of his own literary autobiography, Memories of a Misspent Youth — 1872-1896, published in 1932. He writes that: 'Later on it was in Cornhill that Conan Doyle's first short story appeared. It read very much like a Grant Allen story, and it was at once attributed to my uncle by fellow-craftsmen, who thought that they saw in it the usual Grant Allen characteristics.' (10) Richards goes on to compare the much larger fees that were available to writers like ACD in comparison to those which had been available to writers like Grant Allen, but he was wrong in suggesting that ACD's first story in the Cornhill Magazine was his first short story to be published, since he had already had 16 other short stories published in six different magazines before 'J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement' appeared in January 1884. (11) From his autobiography, it appears that ACD thought that this was his first literary success, as he dismisses his earlier efforts, but it may be noted that he does not mention any rumours about Grant Allen writing this anonymously-published story, although he does mention the suggestion that it had been written by Robert Louis Stevenson. (12) This returns us nicely to the author whose work ACD was first asked to complete.
It thus seems that Grant Allen had already written parts of both of the last two chapters of Hilda Wade before ACD took over the task of completing the story. Since ACD is credited by the original publisher with writing only the last chapter, whilst ACD credits himself with contributing to the two ; final chapters, it seems probable that ACD wrote some of each, but more of the last.
References:
- (1) Chadderton, M (ed). 'Newsletter Covers' in The Cerebral Tentacle, Issue No. 1861, June 1997, pp 2-3.
- (2) Conan Doyle, A. Memories and Adventures, OUP, 1989, p 262.
- (3) Conan Doyle, A. Op Cit (2), p 261.
- (4) Conan Doyle, A. Op Cit (2), p 261.
- (5) Allen, G. Hilda Wade, Grant Richards, May 1900.
- (6) Allen, G. Op Cit (5), title verso.
- (7) 'The Episode of the Man who Spoke' (Ch XII of Hilda Wade), in The Strand Magazine, Vol 19, Feb 1900, p 217.
- (8) Clodd, E. Grant Allen — A Memoir, Grant Richards, 1900.
- (9) Richards, G. Author Hunting, Hamish Hamilton, 1934, pp 146-147.
- (10) Richards, G. Memories of a Misspent Youth - 1872-1896, Heinemann, 1932, p 73.
- (11) Conan Doyle, A. 'J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement' in the Cornhill Magazine, Vol 49, January 1884, pp 1-32.
- (12) Conan Doyle, A. Op Cit (2), p 73.
The ACDSG 'Cumulative Collection'
Our loose-leaf format : "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Forewords', 'Introductions' and 'Prefaces' to other people's works" is now priced at £4, or 8 US dollar bills, inclusive of postage. (See last newsletter, page 9 for fuller details.)
"Photographing Fairies"
This intriguing new British film (*NBSPB#28/p.44), starring 'Toby Stephens, Emily Woof, Francis Barber, Phil Davis and Ben Kingsley' is due for release at selected U.K. cinemas from September 19, with a classification of "15". Based loosely on the Cottingley fairy incident, which led ACD to publish an initial article in the December 1920 edition of the 'Strand Magazine' ("Fairies Photographed :An Epoch-Making Event"), and further led him to bring out his controversial book upon the subject in 1922 ("The Coming of the Fairies"), the film also includes a Edward Hardwicke as ACD. Anyone wish to submit a review ?
Bullet Proofing 2
Further to the recent coverage in 'The Lifework Carriage Company' (*NBSPB#30/p.54*), we thought that it would be a nice idea to reprint in full, the complete page from which the ACD extract came (see centre pages overleaf). Also reproduced on this page are two recent newspaper cuttings highlighting how this Doylean 'discovery' has been reported. The smaller cutting at the top of this page is from the Daily Telegraph, dated 18/7/97, and the larger piece is from the Sunday Telegraph, dated 7/9/97. Any thoughts, comments or articles on this interesting subject would, of course be most welcome within future issues of 'The Cerebral Tentacle'.
The Doylean Review & Comment Section
Welcome to a new section of 'The Cerebral Tentacle', where we hope to encourage everyone to have their say on either new or old Doylean books or related releases (such as film); you can thus submit reviews of new books, such as the ones that make up this initial section, or perhaps you would like to share your thoughts on older items, this can of course be about books on or by ACD.
So, if you have always thought you wanted to get something off your chest concerning any of ACD's writings, or if you perhaps want to comment on one of the numerous biographies on ACD — now you have an ideal opportunity to have your views read, even if it is only one small point, send it in and then others will be able to review your comments and further discuss them.
"The Great Shadow: Arthur Conan Doyle, Brigadier Gerard, and Napoleon," by Clifford S. Goldfarb
Reviewed by Brian Pugh.
'The Great Shadow' was, of course, the title of one of ACD's books (1st published in 1892), and now, over 100 years later, we have at last a complete reference book bearing the same title which deals with the Napoleonic fiction of ACD.
The book is presented in 5 parts, covering : 'The Writer and His Inspiration', 'The Napoleonic Stories and Novels', 'Research and Sources', 'Critics and Critiques' as well as a section incorporating Gerard plot summaries and the current location of Manuscripts, which is always of great interest to any Doylean, especially those of us who can only dream of owning one of these invaluable study aids.
The reading of this volume is fairly easy and definitely educational, giving a good overall impression of the stories. Goldfarb discusses the Gerard stories very well, but the book is somewhat let down by his not discussing in greater detail "Rodney Stone" (3 pages only!) and "The Great Shadow" (again — just 3 pages ?). In the same section, 2 ACD short stories (STRAG & 'A Foreign Office Romance') receive roughly the same coverage. There is surely an imbalance here as equal length is later given to staged and filmed adaptations of Gerard (again, more details regarding cast, release and performance dates are not extensive enough). The study of research and probable sources that ACD used prior to writing his stories does make up for some oaf the books shortcomings, and is of great interest with many a reader perhaps now trying to obtain "The Memoirs of Baron de Marbot", for comparison with the fictional Gerard.
One problem I have within this book is with the sometimes lengthy Notes being all at the back, why not at the end of each section or at the foot of the appropriate page ?
The overall presentation is up to the high standard already set by the publisher, however my copy has its title page very roughly cut. (Mine too! — Ed.)
This book its therefore highly recommended, proving to be a good reference work as well as a great introduction to these exciting ACD stories of the Napoleonic era.
"The Doctor, the Detective and Arthur Conan Doyle: A Biography of Arthur Conan Doyle" by Martin Booth
As this book has already been given a review by one member of the ACDSG (*NBSPB#30/op.48-49*), we would like each memder who has read it to send in their thoughts on Mr Booth's biography, in order that we can have a multi-reviewer discussion in the next newsletter.
"A Full Report of a Lecture on Spiritualism Delivered by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle"
This is a facsimile reprint of a previously unknown (amongst Doyleans) pamphlet recently discovered and published by Dixon Smith of Rupert Books. ACD's lecture, probably 'taken down in shorthand and (therefore) verbatim' provides the scholar with an excellent chance to imagine ACD in full flow upon his 1919 spiritualist crusade. It is therefore, an essential addition to anyone's Doylean library, one even more so, due to an informative Afterword provided by Richard Lancelyn Green. The size of the pamphlet is slightly smaller than this newsletter, consisting of 11 pages of ACD's lecture and a 3½ pages of Green's Afterword. The facsimile light brown cover is well done. On the negative side : the asking price of £10 + postage is somewhat expensive for what you get, however much it is an important and most welcome reprint.
"Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle and the British Empire," by Jeffrey Richards
This is an excellent 40 paqe monograph from The Northern Musqraves Sherlock Holmes Society — being 'an investigation into Conan Doyle's links with the British Empire as expressed through his Sherlockian and other literature'. Although it doesn't perhaps go deep enough into the variety of topics that it covers, and relies too heavily on comparisons to Rudyard Kipling, it is an excellent starting point from which to conduct further research into another fascinating Doylean subject. The reproduction of 2 rare pieces of Doyleana from the Lancelyn Green collection is also highly commendable.
Bibliographical Details
Goldfarb : 236pp. Pbk; £14 + post, Ltd Ed Hbk (signed and numbered); £21.50 + post. From CALABASH PRESS, P.O. Box 1360, Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada VOK 1A0. Booth (*NBSPB#30/p.49*). Rupert Books : 58/59 Stonefield, Bar Hill, Cambridge, England CB3 8TE. Richards : £4.50 (UK & Europe) or $10 (USA, Canada & rest of world), prices include postage. From Anne Jordan, Fairbank, Beck Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 4DN, Enqland.
A Final Reminder
Before concluding this edition with a report on the recent plaque unveiling, one final plea to you all to send in your thoughts, comments and articles (preferably all 3 !!!). Until next time, many thanks for all your support.
Yours Conanically,
Mark Chadderton — Editor.
= ACD Plaque Unveiling
'Undershaw', Hindhead. Sunday 6th July 1997.
Report by Geoff Budd.
(*NBSPB#30/p.8*)
Some 25 plus Doyleans qathered on a very warm summer's day to commemorate ACD's residence at 'Undershaw' on the centenary of the building of this house. Proceedings started at 11 a.m., however, those who arrived early met in the 'Little Chef' which is now opposite the now 'Undershaw Hotel'.
After morning coffee, tea and biscuits Philip Weller introduced Georgina Doyle and Richard Doyle who were graciously in attendance. Unfortunately Dame Jean Conan Doyle and FMHC Honorary Director Edward Hardwicke were unable to attend due to ill health and work commitments respectively. After a couple of group photographs, involving some athleticism (?) from the photographer (i.e. your reporter), Philip & Jane Weller presented an exceedingly interesting and informative slide show on ACO's various places of residence throughout his life.
After a lovely, if slightly insubstantial lunch, the 'almost inevitable prize quiz' took place (thankfully won by a member of the ACDSG !) and a well supported charity raffle proved equally entertaining.
Everyone then gathered to watch Georgina and Richard Doyle unveil the plaque, duly performed after an excellent and intriguing speech by Georgina. The plaque is situated in the bar/lounge area of the Hotel, however it is a shame that the local council have always denied 'planning permission' for any sort of commemorative plaque on the outside of the building.
A book with a list of contributors to the plaque fund was on display for examination, also in the var area (see photographic illustrations — courtesy of Brian Pugh.).
There was then an opportunity to tour the 'house' and grounds, including the wonderful tree-house, and to admire ; the superb views that the location provides. (Although it can be appreciated that the view, when the house was originally constructed would have been even better !).
Afternoon tea and cake was then taken, a special cake being provided by the hotel before some of the group departed for London. The remainder then visited the Doyle family plot at Grayshott Church where Mary Doyle, Louise Conan Doyle and Kingsley Conan Doyle are buried. Flowers were then laid by Richard and Georgina.
It was, however, saddening to see the mindless vandalism that has resulted in the damaging of many of the other grave headstones in this churchyard. The day was then concluded with a visit to the building that was formerly the Moorlands Hotel, where the Conan Doyle family stayed whilst 'Undershaw' was being completed. It only remains to say that this had been a greatly enjoyable and truly memorable day for those fortunate to have been there.
ACDSG Competitions 1 & 2 — Answers
#1 A:
#2 A:
- The original manuscript of SECO, of which part is in the hand of the then Miss Jean Leckie, contains editorial corrections in ACD's handwriting, where instead of just crossing
out, he has written over Miss Leckie's writing the following : 'applepieapple-pieapplepie'.
Unfortunately we received no correct answers to these two questions — however if you send in a postcard to the ACDSG with 'applepieapplenieapplepie' written on it as confirmation that you have 'discovered' the answers, requesting either of the books that were on offer as prizes in these competitions that you need — they will be yours.
- Copyright remains to the individual authors.
