scene of the first act, the man upon whom the popular
party has been heaping opprobrium appears to speak for himself. Again
the historical background must be known in order that the whole drift of
the scene may be understood. Wentworth is talking with Lady Carlisle, a
woman celebrated for her beauty and her wit, and fond of having
friendships with great men. Various opinions of this beautiful woman
have been expressed by those who knew her. "Her beauty," writes one,
"brought her adorers of all ranks, courtiers, and poets, and statesmen;
but she remained untouched by their worship." Sir Toby Mathews who
prefixed to a collection of letters published in 1660 "A character of
the most excellent Lady, Lucy, Countess of Carlisle," writes that she
will "freely discourse of love, and hear both the fancies and powers of
it; but if you will needs bring it within knowledge, and boldly direct
it to herself, she is likely to divert the discourse, or, at least, seem
not to understand it. By which you may know her humour, and her justice;
for since she cannot love in earnest she would have nothing from love."
According to him she filled her mind "with gallant fancies, and high and
elevated thoughts," and "her wit being most eminent among the rest of
her great abilities," even the conversation of those most famed for it
was affected. Quite another view of her is given in a letter of
Voiture's written to Mr. Gordon on leaving England in 1623.

"In one human being you let me see more treasures than there are there
[the Tower], and even more lions and leopards. It will not be difficult
for you to guess after this that I speak of the Countess of Carlisle.
For there is nobody else of whom all this good and evil can be said. No
matter how dangerous it is to let the memory dwell upon her, I have not,
so far, been able to keep mine from it, and, quite honestly, I would not
give the picture of her that lingers in my mind, for all the loveliest
things I have seen in my life. I must confess that she is an enchanting
personality, and there would not be a woman under heaven so worthy of
affection, if she only knew what it was, and if she had as sensitive a
nature as she has a reasonable mind. But with the temperament we know
she possesses, there is nothing to be said except that she is the most
lovable of all things not good, and the most delightful poison that
nature ever concocted." Browning himself says he first sketched her
character from Mathew