" 

 I deleted this: 
 :""(the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories) word for word. Moriarty, in turn, was based upon the real-life criminal mastermind, Adam Worth."" 
 It's not wrong, but if Eliot was inspired (as seems the case) by Doyle, it makes no difference who Moriarty was based on, for Eliot wasn't drawing upon Worth. Leaving it in struck me as somebody trying to show how smart they were knowing that about Moriarty; want to know about him, go to Holmes or Moriarty.   (PS: if I put that in to begin with, as I vaguely recall doing, I was stupid.)"