Memoirs of Grimaldi: 11/13 Appearing in Public; Appearing in Public

In this etching Grimaldi is shown being mobbed by a group of Londoners. In the text the reason becomes clear. The coach to take Grimaldi to the theatre at Covent Garden did not arrive so Grimaldi had to run through the streets. He was recognised and a large crowd chased him. He could escape only by jumping into a cab.

The Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi were published in 1838 as the autobiography of the celebrated clown.

Charles Dickens was employed to edit the Memoirs and he did so reluctantly despite the fact that he was relatively unknown at his time. He said to the publisher, Richard Bentley, ' It is very badly done, and is so redolent of twaddle that I fear I cannot take it up on any conditions to which you would be disposed to accede. I should require to be assured three hundred pounds in the first instance '.