Memoirs of Grimaldi: 2/13 Master Joe's unexpected visit to the Pit; Master Joe's debut at the Pit at Sadler's Wells

In this etching Grimaldi is shown in one of his first performances at Sadler's Wells dressed as a monkey accompanying his father dressed as a clown. He is led by a chain and was swung around the stage. On this occasion the chain broke and Grimaldi was hurled into the audience landing in the lap of a spectator.

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.'