Dickens' American Tour
Charles Dickens traveled to the United States a few years after the Civil War. He had been asked by American friends to come to the States for years, but the war and his hesitation to visit again after America’s cool response to his earlier visit in 1842 prevented him from doing so. After a series of very successful reading tours in Britain and Ireland, he decided to come to America. He came, in part, because he had taken on a substantial financial obligations with the purchase of Gad House (a large home in the country), his financial support of at least four women, and charitable works.
On November 19, 1867 he rrived in Boston aboard the steamship Cuba. That winter proved to be bitterly cold and snowy and he took ill almost from the start. He finally caught influenza, or, as he called it, the "American catarrh” or the “ true American." Consequently, he hardly slept 3-4 hours each night and ate very little for the entire trip. By the end his right foot began to swell and cause great pain. His left foot had a history of doing so, so at times he could barely walk. In his last readings, he had to be helped to and from his reading desk by his manager, George Dolby.
Here is his schedule of readings. Performances were held four days a week while in the larger cities. They were held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday starting at 8 pm. The performance lasted about 2 hours. He performed two readings each evening with a 10-minute break between them. His readings consisted of “A Christmas Carol,” “Trial from Pickwick,” “David Copperfield,” “Bob Sawyer's Party,” “Nickleby," “Boots at Holly Tree Inn,” “Dombey and Son,” “Dr. Marigold,” and “Mrs. Gamp.”
Boston Dec. 2-6, Tremont Temple, 4 readings
New York City Dec. 9-20, Steinway Hall, 8 readings
Boston Dec. 23-24, Tremont Temple, 2 readings
New York City Dec. 26-Jan. 3, 1868, Steinway Hall, 7 readings
Boston Jan. 6-7, Tremont Temple, 2 readings
New York City Jan. 9-10, Steinway Hall, 2 readings
Philadelphia Jan. 13-14, Concert Hall, 2 readings
Brooklyn Jan. 16-21, Plymouth Church, 4 readings
Philadelphia Jan. 23-24, Concert Hall, 2 readings
Baltimore Jan. 27-28, Concordia Opera House, 2 readings
Philadelphia Jan. 30-31, Concert Hall, 2 readings
Washington Feb. 3-7, Carroll Hall, 4 readings
Baltimore Feb. 10-11, Concordia Opera House, 2 readings
Philadelphia Feb. 13-14, Concert Hall, 2 readings
Hartford Feb. 18, Allyn Hall, 1 reading
Providence Feb. 20-21, City Hall, 2 readings
Boston Feb. 24-28, Tremont Temple, 4 readings
Syracuse Mar. 9, Wieting Hall, 1 reading
Rochester Mar. 10, Corinthian Hall, 1 reading
Buffalo Mar. 12-13, St. James Hall, 2 readings
Rochester Mar. 16, Corinthian Hall, 1 reading
Albany Mar. 18-19, Twiddle Hall, 2 readings
Springfield Mar. 20, Music Hall, 1 reading
Worcester Mar. 23, Mechanic's Hall, 1 reading
New Haven Mar. 24, Music Hall, 1 reading
Hartford Mar. 25, Allyn Hall, 1 reading
New Bedford Mar. 27, Liberty Hall, 1 reading
Portland Mar. 30, City Hall, 1 reading
Boston Apr. 1-8, Tremont Temple, 6 readings
New York City Apr. 13-20, Steinway Hall, 5 readings
Apr. 22, 1868 Departed for England aboard the steamship Russia
