THE comparative non-success of this fine play was probably quite as much due to Mr Macready not playing the part of Lord Tresham as to the circumstances mentioned in the text. He had originally promised Mr Browning that he would undertake it, but had afterwards given the part to Mr Phelps to study and rehearse. The drama was brought out in a great hurry, and after insufficient rehearsals. At nearly the eleventh hour Mr Macready proposed to assume the part of Tresham himself; but to this change Mr Browning demurred as not being fair to Mr Phelps. Accordingly Mr Phelps was left to play it,—a serious misfortune, for he was not fitted for such a character, whereas it was one in which Mr Macready was sure to have excelled. As it was, the play, though well received, was only performed three times. Had it been strengthened by Mr Macready's personal aid, the result would most probably have been different. The incident caused, I believe, a serious estrangement, as Mr Browning considered he had not been frankly dealt with by Mr Macready. I played Mildred Tresham, as I had formerly played Lucy Percy, Countess of Carlisle, in Mr Browning's Strafford. With his wonted generosity Mr Browning spoke of what I had done for his heroines in the following lines, written in my album soon after the production of The Blot on the Scutcheon.