In “The Greek Interpreter” Arthur Conan Doyle has Sherlock Holmes introduce Dr. Watson and the reader to his brother and to his brother's club — the fictional Diogenes — which the great detective claims has “a very soothing atmosphere."” When Holmes mentions the name of the fictional club, Watson replies he's never heard of it, to which Holmes replies “Very likely not” and goes on the describe this club for unclubable men: "There are many men in London, you know, who, some from shyness, some from misanthropy, have no wish for the company of their fellows. Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodicals. It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one. Save in the Stranger's Room, no talking is, under any circumstances, allowed, and three offences, if brought to the notice of the committee, render the talker liable to expulsion. My brother was one of the founders, and I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere."
Bibliography
Doyle Arthur Conan. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Project Gutenberg e-version produced by Angela M. Cable, and David Widger. Web. 26 November 2013.
Last modified 29 February 2012