lfred Domett (then in New
Zealand), written under date of May, 1843, dated from Arnould's home in
Victoria Square, Pimlico:

"As one must begin somewhere, suppose we take Browning.... In February
his play, 'A Blot in the 'Scutcheon,' was announced as forthcoming at
Drury Lane.... Meantime, judicious friends had a habit of asking when
the play was coming out...."[5]

A long chapter of vexations is humorously described by Domett, who
concludes his letter with this tribute to the play.

"... With some of the finest situations and grandest passages you can
conceive, it does undoubtedly want a sustained interest to the end of
the third act; in fact the whole of that act on the stage is a falling
off from the second, which I need not tell you is, for purposes of
performance, the most unpardonable fault. Still, it will no
doubt--nay, it must--have done this, viz., produced a higher opinion
than ever of Browning's genius and the great things he is yet to do,
in the minds not only of a clique, but of the general world of
readers. This man will go far yet...."

While this vexation cancelled the friendly relations that had existed
between Browning and Macready, it fostered the friendship between the poet
and Helen Faucit (later Lady Martin), who remembered Browning's attitude
"as full of generous sympathy" for the actors of the cast; while he
recalled Miss Faucit's "perfect behavior as a woman, and her admirable
playing, as the one gratifying factor" in the affair. But Browning was too
noble by nature for any lasting resentment, and meeting Macready soon
after the death of both his own wife, in Italy, and of Mrs. Macready, he
could only grasp his old friend's hand and exclaim with emotion, "Oh,
Macready!"

In the autumn of 1844 Browning set forth for Italy on his second visit.
Two years before his friend Domett had left England for New Zealand,
commemorated by the poet in the lines,--

"How, forsooth, was I to know it
If Waring meant to glide away
Like a ghost at break of day."

Browning landed at Naples, and there, according to Mrs. Orr, he became
acquainted with a young Neapolitan, Signor Scotti, who took the
bargaining of their tour upon himself, after they had agreed to travel
together, "and now as I write," said Mr. Browning in a letter from his
Naples hotel to his sister Sarianna, "I hear him disputing our bill. He
does not see why we should pay for six