R481202C. A Blot in the ’Scutcheon.
Theatrical Times, 2 December 1848, pp. 459–460.
As reprinted in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 15, 390–391.
Sadler’s Wells.—On Monday, Mr. Phelps re-produced at this theatre a tragedy in three acts, by Robert Browning. A slight mistake in the punctuation of our last week’s number would lead our readers to believe that it was a new piece, instead of which the author is merely stated to have been one of the “unacted.”* In fact, the tragedy was first produced at Drury Lane, by Mr. Macready, Mr. Phelps playing in it also. The present re-production is, we think an unwise step on the part of Mr. Phelps. The play, which is melodramatic in its form, is but a sketch, the dramatis personæ possess neither character or individuality, the occasion is a mere point of honor, and the lady compromises her own honor (hence the name, the “Blot on the Scutcheon[”]) and causes the deaths of her brother, lover, and herself, for a very slight cause, a mere shadow indeed. The plot is this: Mildred Tresham (Miss Cooper) allows herself to be seduced by a certain Lord Mertoun (Mr. Dickinson) whose [p. 460→] real name and rank is unknown to her, but who, intending to marry her, makes her promise that she will marry this Lord Mertoun, who has proposed for her hand to her brother Thorold, Lord Tresham (Mr. Phelps), whose heart seems divided between the love of his family honor and the love he bears to his sole sister. The visits of this Lord being discovered by a retainer, Gerald (Mr. Graham), Thorold accuses, or rather draws a confession from his sister, and in mentioning the name of Lord Mertoun, she, true to the promise she has given her lover, offers to marry him. At this shameful offer, the chivalrous spirit of her brother recoils from her, and he curses her, in presence of her cousin and brother Austin (Mr. Hoskins) and hurries away, as she falls senseless. The woman’s wit of her cousin, Gwendolin Tresham (Miss Huddart) sees through the dilemma in which Mildred is placed, and she rightly guesses that the lover and Lord Mertoun are one and the same; but this joyful intelligence does not reach Thorold till too late, he having (by accident, or fate, led that way) met this disguised lover going to his mistress’s bower, in the Yew Tree avenue; they, notwithstanding the entreaties to be heard of Lord Mertoun, fight, he is stabbed and falls—he then discovers who he is, declares his intentions to be honourable, again speaks of his love to his mistress and dies. The retainers, cousins, &c., enter and bear his body away. Thorold goes to his sister’s chamber, who anxiously waits the approach of her lover—her brother enters, whose crime she immediately perceives, and her heart breaks; but far from cursing, she blesses her brother, and dies in his arms—he having previously swallowed poison, dies also, leaving Austin and Gwendolin to inherit that Scutcheon whence so deep a blot had been washed by blood. The play is what some syncretical gentlemen would call a “Poets” play, lucus a non lucendo, from being written by a man who was no poet, that is, but an imperfect one, with a little poetical imagery and language; but no invention, no character, no idea of making a plot, and so as we should declare the horse which is exhibited with three legs and a “swinger,” or the gentleman who does everything with his feet, having no hands or arms, to be no horse, and no man, we declare Mr. Browning to be no dramatic poet. That there are one or two poetical passages, it is vain to deny; but it bears the same relation to a fine dramatic work, which a slight pencil sketch does to a finished picture. The author has attempted the solitary grandeur of an old Greek play, or of Scott in “The Bride of Lammermoor,” but he has not succeeded. Three acts for a tragedy, should be full, and compressed, smart and pithy, but not loose. The acting of Mr. Phelps was very fine, as also of Miss Cooper; she should not imitate Miss Addison, her own style being better. They were called before the curtain. Mr. Dickinson gains in our favor, he was also honored with a call.
*The following item, under the heading of “Sadler’s Wells,” ran in the 25 November 1849 issue of Theatrical Times: “A play, one of the ‘unacted,’ by Mr. Robert Browning, (the author of some pieces, under the euphonius and silly appellation of ‘Bell and Pomegranates’), is about to be produced at this theatre, it is in three acts, and bears the title of ‘The Blot in the Scutcheon.’”
Reviewed:
A Blot in the ’Scutcheon (RB), performance, London, 27 November 1848.
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