Dr. Tony Williams's Gresham College lecture on A Tale of Two Cities

• Manchester: Dickens first conceived the main idea of while acting Mr. Wilkie Collins' drama "The Frozen Deep w/ his children/ friends. -"As the idea became familiar to me it gradually shaped into present form, throughout its execution it has had complete possession of me. I have so far verified what has done and suffered through these pages..."
• 1857: Dickens assisted Collins in writing the drama "The Frozen Deep". 
• Dickens: "As the idea be familiar to me i gradually shaped into present form, throughout its executionit has has complete possession of me. I have so far verified what has done and suffered through these pages..."
• 1857: setting of "The Frozen Deep" was the Tabastock Square  inspired by 1845 Franklin Expedition. Turnis Family played "The Frozen Deep". Dickens fell in love w/ Ellen Turnis who portrayed Lucie on T.T.C. Dickens divorced his wife.
• 1858: April- Dickens did public readings for profit rather than for charity. Became the greatest reader/writer. May-separation w/ Catherine. June- separation made public. Nov.- started to wind up journal, separate from publisher. 
• 1859: April- new publisher, published T.T.C
• London= Posterity  Dickens saw connections of his writing about London. 
• T.T.c reminds readers of Persian Conquest
• 1870: Dickens Death