it's certainly a love story

'There has been some debate as to whether the Adventures of Holmes, or the narrative powers of Watson, declined with the passage of the years. When the same string is still harped upon, however cunningly one may vary the melody, there is still the danger of monotony. The mind of the reader is less fresh and responsive, which may unjustly prejudice him against the writer. To compare great things to small, Scott in his autobiographical notes has remarked that each of Voltaire's later pamphlets was declared to be a declension from the last one, and yet when the collected works were assembled they were found to be among the most brilliant. Scott also was depreciated by critics for some of his most solid work. Therefore, with such illustrious examples before one, let me preserve the hope that he who in days to come may read my series backwards will not find that his impressions are very different from those of his neighbour who reads them forwards.'

'Mr Sherlock Holmes to his Readers', STRAND magazine, March 1927, and deleted by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when he used the essay as the Preface to THE CASEBOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Is there a text string? Do you still stay in touch?

Oh yeah. Martin [Freeman] messaged me out of the blue the other day. He was in a hotel in Croatia or something. He said, “Hey, I’m just watching Sherlock. Very proud.” It was very touching. It is very lovely to hear that.