The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-02 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE

Mr. Macready took his benefit here last night, on which oc-
casion a new historical tragedy was brought out, from the pen
of the author of Paracelsus. The Sun was among the Orst,
if not the first, to notice this fine poem when it appeared
some two years since, and to observe also that Mr. Browning
displayed throughout it evidences of dramatic ability of no
mean order.
‘His present play Strafford has not disappointed
the expectations we then formed of him. It acts even better
than it reads, for, this reason, that action is substituted for
description, and mere poetry made subservient to the sterner
business of the drama. Still it is by no means the highest
effort of which Mr. Browning is capable. We are convinced
he can do better—work out his ideas more fully—develope his
characters in a more subtle, analytical spirit. The good
stuff is in him, but patience and diligent habits of thought
are requisite, to enable him to work out the conceptions with
which it is evident his imagination teems, even to over-
flowing.
The leading defect of Strafford is that it is, in
a great degree, obscure, we might almost say, unintelligible
to those who are not well acquainted with the stirring period
of which it treats. The author relies too much on the histo-
rical knowledge of his audience. He gives them credit for as
accurate an acquaintance with Clarendon, Godwin, and others,
who detail the events of those days, as he himself possesses.
This is a serious blemish, and would have been fatal to his suc-
cess, had it not been for the masterly manner in which he has
pourtrayed the stern, censcientious republican, and the ambi-
tious royalist, in the persons of Pym and Strafford. Here he
appealed to the broad principles of human nature, and his ap-
peal was understood and answered. While touching on the
subject of the defects of Mr. Broe,ning's tragedy, we may just
observe that the position in which the Countess of Carlisle is
made to stand towards Strafford is equivocal, and needs fuller
development. She appears, from her actions, to be instigated
by the profoundest passion ; but it is clear that the object of
her love does not understand this, nor does she herself once
hint at it; nor can the audience be made to comprehend the
nature of that strong impulse which urges her to save Stafford
at all risks. This is an ambiguity that should be cleared
up. We now turn to the brighter side of the tragedy.
The language throughout is spirited, sententious, and
dramatic ; never inflated—never tame—never sinking be-
low the level of mediocrity. Above all, mere poetry--
poetry we mean that encumbers dialogue, and bids ac-
tion halt—is carefully avoided. Mr. Browning has also
been scrupulously correct in his adherence to the truth of
character. King Charles is the identical Charles of history--
weak, insincere, and vacillating, not, however, from a bad
heart, but a weak head. We may extend the same praise to
Wentworth and Pym, the latter of whom we like best, because
we have the distinctest idea of him ; though the former is the
author's pet. As for John HarepdtM, he is somewhat shabbily
treated, being little better than a walking gentleman. We
subjoin a passage which Mr. Browning has put into the mouth
of Pym, because it lets us into his character at once, in the
most sterling dramatic manner:—
" A glorious thing,
We all say, friends, it is a glorious thing
To right that England. Heaven grows dark above-s
Let's snatch one moment 'ere the thunder fall
To say how well the English spirit comes out
Beneath it ! All have done their best, indeed
From lion Elliot, that proud Englishman,
To the least here • and who the least one here,
When She is saved (and her redemption dawns,
Dimly, most dimly, but it dais ns—it dawns)
Who'd give at any price his hope away
Of being named along with the Great Men ?
One would not—no, one would not give that up."
In these few emphatic lines we have the secret of that stern
resolution to follow up his old friend Strafford to the death—
despite the yearnings of his heart towards him —that marked
Pym's character. Henceforth, to the close of the catastrophe,
his motives are intelligible. We have no need of an inter-
preter. Just in the same prompt, and apparently unconscious
way, are the leading weaknesses of the ambitious Stratford
brought out. Just one careless sentence, and all is revealed,
that need bo revealed :