 After Grimaldi 's death , Charles Dickens was invited by Richard Bentley to edit and improve Thomas Egerton Wilks 's clumsily written life of Grimaldi , which had been based on the clown 's own notes . As a child , Dickens saw Grimaldi perform at the Star Theatre , Rochester , in 1820 . The Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi sold well , to Dickens 's surprise . 
