Tom Levy

Tom Levy was among the first pupils accepted by Jonathan Strange. After his break with Gilbert Norrell, whose hermit-like character was secretive and possessive about magical knowledge, Strange pursued a contrary policy of laying magic open to everyone. Early in 1816, after the death of his wife, he discussed with several interested young men the possibility of taking on pupils in the art of magic, and among "the most promising", as he described them to Lord Portishead, were Henry Purfois, William Hadley-Bright and Tom Levy. Levy was unlike the other two in coming from the lower ranks of society, being then employed as a dancing-master in Norwich and being of Hebrew descent. When Sir Walter Pole raised the objection with Strange however — "Surely it (magic) is a profession that ought to be reserved for gentlemen?" — Strange disagreed. Of the three he said he preferred Levy, since Levy approached magic as an occupation to be enjoyed: he was also the first pupil to learn how to perform any practical magic, when he caused one of the window frames in Strange's London house to sprout branches and leaves. (Both he and his tutor were subsequently unable to reverse the spell.[49])

The educational progress of Strange's pupils was somewhat retarded by his restless, unfixed disposition and altogether interrupted when he decided to travel. Nevertheless the three remained fiercely loyal to their tutor. When Gilbert Norrell caused the words of Strange's The History and Practice of English Magic to vanish from the pages of the book, Purfois, Hadley-Bright and Levy were swift to protest and to cast about for ways to counter his action. Unfortunately none of their suggestions was practicable — Purfois and Hadley-Bright wished to challenge Norrell to a duel, or to implement a spell of Martin Pale's which was beyond their abilities. Levy's idea of using Walter de Chepe's Prophylaxis was the most effectual, but that too carried a danger that it might rebound upon them. In the end they did nothing — which was perhaps the wisest course[50].