destroyer of his sister's honour.

Challenged to

make known who he is, Mertoun discloses himself. Tresham, inexpressibly disgusted at his perfidy, without allowing him to speak, bids him draw. Mertoun suffers himself to be mortally wounded, and falls. The non-resistance and the upturned, boyish face give Tresham's anger pause. Pardoning and pardoned, he bitterly rues his cruel haste, but too late to save the life he has taken. In Scene 2, Tresham is with Mildred. She quickly divines from what deed he comes, and, dying herself, grants forgiveness to her brother. Tresham, whose eyes sorrow and repentance have unbandaged, sees and understands the purity beneath the blot, the life more sacred than the 'scutcheon. Nothing is left him, he feels, but to follow Mertoun and Mildred, and as the poison he has taken ends his life, he reminds those who hang over him that only disaster and failure come when a man assumes God's prerogative of judgment and requital.

Colombe's Birthday; A Play, 1844 (Vol. IV.), is a drama of which the story, only imaginatively historical, exactly suits the development of Browning's special methods. It gives scope to the allpervasive unconventionality and the creating of mental zigzags and surprises that characterise his 'fundamental brain-work.'

his young cousin

Act I. Prince Berthold, abetted by Pope and kings, has just sent in his claim to Colombe's Duchy, under Salic law. who have not openly deserted

The few courtiers Colombe's sinking

fortunes are disputing which shall present the disconcerting document. Of the self-interested crew, Gaucelme is most, Guibert least corrupt. Guibert has just expressed supreme contempt for the brutish People, when, from the almost empty vestibule, a suitor, Valence, the 'advocate' of Cleves, forces his way in. He pleads Cleves' woes to his old debtor, Guibert, as a means towards laying Cleves' petition before Colombe. His severely simple negative to the courtiers' question whether rumour bruits Colombe's coming ruin convinces Gaucelme that the right man to present Berthold's missive as the price of approach to Colombe-is Valence. Ignorant of the contents, Valence accedes. Act II. The Duchess marks the scanty attendance at her audience, but as yet no report of Berthold's entrance has reached her. Valence, who saw Colombe a year ago and loved her with a man's love beside a subject's loyalty, advances and describes his townsmen's sufferings, at the same time presenting Berthold's requisition. Colombe reads it, and with dignified gentleness prepares to resign her coronet. Valence flashes his indignation at Guibert for his trickery, and, turning to Colombe, begs her to shake off this mist of courtiers between herself and her real subjects, and remain Duchess for the People's sake. Colombe, inspired by enthusiasm, congenial but hitherto unknown, defies Berthold, dismisses her courtiers, and takes Valence for counsellor. Act III. Berthold, arrived, is discussing with Melchior his past and

present position regarding this step towards his end, the Empire. He treats the servile courtiers with sardonic irony, till Guibert, showing a grain of conscience, or of shame at being inferior to Valence, utters Colombe's defiance. Berthold, startled, even pleasurably piqued, by Colombe's daring, makes way as she enters talking to Valence. Colombe, because she feels she has been a 'play-queen,' is again inclining to relinquish her sway. Berthold affects to regard the denial of his claim as her friends' doing, not hers. Valence, with deep, chivalrous enthusiasm, which transcends Berthold's princely politeness, dispels this, and, while describing Colombe as alone, describes her People as hers to live or die. Berthold, entertaining a new idea, forbears further discussion, gives Valence his credentials, and withdraws. The courtiers decide that Colombe and Valence love each other, and retire to shape a suitable policy. Colombe, best of disciples, though not of solitary learners-a true woman-leaves Valence to decide her course. He is torn between love and duty, love urging him to lower Colombe's rank, and duty to guide her towards beneficent rule. But with the genius of conscience, he determines to judge regardlessly of consequence. Act IV. The courtiers' scheme is to win Berthold's gratitude by apprising him that if Colombe marries the advocate, she forfeits her Duchy to himself, the next heir. Meantime Valence has found Berthold's claims incontrovertible. He is deprecating his own consequent joy, when

-a mes

Berthold enters to say that he proposes to make assurance doubly sure by wedding Colombesage he charges Valence to give her. When Colombe next appears, she is almost happily contemplating private liberty, and Valence's task is all the harder. In a speech of nobly imaginative insight, he depicts the true greatness of the imperial career, then tenders her Berthold's proposal. The thought of an imperial lover flatters her, but Valence rightly deducts love from the proposal. His reason asked, it is, he answers, love's instinct. The idea that Valence loves is importunate and engrossing (so we watch Colombe's own love dawning), and bit by bit it comes out whom he loves. At present the declaration hurts Colombe: the morning's service then was love, not loyalty, and nothing is what it seems. Act V. To Berthold, the fulfilment of ambition is an absorbing art, loved for the skill's sake. When he states his proposal to Colombe, he explicitly disclaims sentiment, proffering her his Empire to be,—and regard. The courtiers here spring their mine, winning scant thanks from Berthold. What they effect is to hasten Colombe's decision. Neither Berthold nor his friend can conceive the lady refusing the Empire, and Valence trembles. But love beckons sweet Colombe, and she resigns her Duchy in order to bestow herself upon Valence. Berthold half regretfully admires her conduct, acknowledging the Duchy she so easily relinquishes to be far more necessary to himself than to her. Guibert follows the lady to Ravestein and

his former comrades are promised a sufficiently penal future.

Dramatic Romances and Lyrics (1845), was the title of Bells and Pomegranates, No. VII. The contents are now distributed under other titles.

How they brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix (Vol. VI.), that glorious 'stirrup-piece,' is popular wherever English is spoken, and Roland is the prince of poetry's horses.

Pictor Ignotus (Vol. IV.) is one of Browning's Art poems and turns on an artist's personal problem. Rather than lower his refined ideal to the vulgarity of picture-buyers and the mart, the 'unknown painter,' shrinking into himself, chooses to paint cold and lifeless altar-pieces. He gives up conceiving pictures such as Rafael's, and sacrifices the happiness and stimulus of such praise and love as met the work of Cimabue.

The Italian in England (Vol. V.) (originally called Italy in England), is a Lombard exile's reminiscence of a desperate expedient, during Metternich's administration, which brought him rescue at the hands of a peasant girl. He lives to recall her generous courage and to labour anew for Italy.

The Englishman in Italy (Vol. V.) (originally called England in Italy), is Browning's one purely descriptive poem. 'The Englishman' tells over to a child listener details and peculiarities of the nature and natural life of the Sorrento Plain and Bay of Naples. Lasagne is the flat, broad macaroni. The English