Most people are familiar with author and playwright Charles Dickens but did you know Charles Dickens was a magician? That's right and he used that art to entertain and enlighten children of all ages during his colorful career while traveling around the globe!
To know the real Charles Dickens one needs only to read the many books he wrote during his lifetime.
When you read the stories in "A TALE OF TWO CITIES" or see the play "Oliver" you see where Charles Dickens was raised and the environment he was accustomed to.
Later in life he wanted to bring laughter to as many children as possible so that their lives would not be the impoverished lifestyle he had to endure while a youngster so magic fit right in to that goal!
Another important "MAGIC FACTOR" in Charles Dickens becoming a magician is to consider his time period and where he lived. London England in the 1800'S was a growing and inventive period.
In the mid 1800's there was a magic illusion developed and presented at Egyptian Hall in London ( see photo) known as "PEPPER'S GHOST". This illusion was created not as a magic trick but rather as a special stage effect allowing people to be seen as ghosts on stage and the audience was able to see right thru them!
Here we see a picture of Dickens dressed in magician's attire "conjuring up the "ghost of Christmas present!
Dickens used his speeches in later years to further motivate people in their personal lives. He developed his educational ideals with reference to Christ's manner of teaching: "Knowledge has a very limited power when it informs the head only; but when it informs the heart as well, it has a power over life and death, and body and the soul, and dominates the universe."
FROM THE BOOK
HARD TIMES
WRITTEN BY CATHERINE DICKENS
ABOARD THE SAILING SHIP GEORGE WASHINGTON
JUNE 13 1842 ATLANTIC OCEAN
"IF I DID NOT KNOW HIM AS WELL AS I DO, I WOULD BEGIN TO SUSPECT THAT
MR. CHARLES DICKENS HAS TAKEN LEAVE OF HIS SENSES AND IS HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE MADHOUSE. HE CAVORTS LIKE A 6 YEAR OLD CHILD. BUT HIS POPULARITY IS SUCH THAT EVEN THE USE OF AN "INDIA RUBBER DEVICE" THAT WHEN PLACED BENEATH THE CUSHION OF A CHAIR AND SAT UPON GIVES FORTH AN UNMENTIONABLE SOUND ELICITS ONLY A GOOD NATURED LAUGH FROM VARIOUS ONES WHO UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, MIGHT EVEN RESORT TO ADMINISTERING A DRUBBING TO THE TRICKSTER WITH THEIR WALKING STICKS. THE CHILDREN, AND THEY ARE A BAKERS DOZEN OF THEM, IDOLIZE HIM. AND WHY SHOULD THEY NOT? HE GETS DOWN ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES WITHOUT REGARD TO WHO MAY BE WATCHING AND PLAYS HORSEY, CATCH THE BEAR, LEAP FROG, AND GAMES AND TRICKS OF HIS OWN INVENTION."
THIS IS THE FAMOUS "MERMAID HOUSE" THAT STILL STANDS A FEW BLOCKS FROM OUR MAGIC HISTORY MUSEUM IN LEBANON ILLINOIS. IT WAS BUILT BY THE RETIRED SEA CAPTAIN LYMAN ADAMS IN 1830 WHERE CHARLES DICKENS VISITED AND STAYED AT IN 1842
WHILE TOURING AMERICA
AND VISITING LEBANON ILLINOIS THEN KNOWN AS "LOOKING GLASS PRAIRIE".
SEE MORE ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS AND OTHER GREAT MAGICIANS AT
