could have restored its doomed fortunes.

After the fifth night one of the leading actors, having received a
better offer elsewhere, suddenly withdrew.

This was the last straw. A collapse forthwith occurred. In the scramble
for shares in the few remaining funds every one gained something, except
the author, who was to have received L12 for each performance for the
first twenty-five nights, and, L10 each for ten nights further. This
disaster was a deep disappointment to Browning, and a by no means
transitory one, for three or four years later he wrote (_Advt._ of
"Bells and Pomegranates"): "Two or three years ago I wrote a play, about
which the chief matter I much care to recollect at present is, that a
pitful of good-natured people applauded it. Ever since, I have been
desirous of doing something in the same way that should better reward
their attention." But, except in so far as its abrupt declension from
the stage hurt its author in the eyes of the critics, and possibly in
those of theatrical managers, "Strafford" was certainly no failure. It
has the elements of a great acting play. Everything, even the language
(and here was a stumbling-block with most of the critics and
criticasters), was subordinated to dramatic exigencies: though the
subordination was in conformity with a novel shaping method. "Strafford"
was not, however, allowed to remain unknown to those who had been unable
to visit Covent Garden Theatre.[13] Browning's name had quite sufficient
literary repute to justify a publisher in risking the issue of a drama
by him; one, at any rate, that had the advantage of association with
Macready's name. The Longmans issued it, and the author had the pleasure
of knowing that his third poetic work was not produced at the expense of
a relative, but at that of the publishers. It had but an indifferent
reception, however.

[Footnote 13: "It is time to deny a statement that has been repeated _ad
nauseam_ in every notice that professes to give an account of Mr.
Browning's career. Whatever is said or not said, it is always that his
plays have 'failed' on the stage. In point of fact, the three plays
which he has brought out have all succeeded, and have owed it to
fortuitous circumstances that their tenure on the boards has been
comparatively short."--E.W. GOSSE, in article in _The Century
Magazine._]

Most people who saw the performance of "Strafford" given in 1886, under
the auspices of the Browning Society, were surp