ABSTRACT
As an acting play, Strafford will undoubtedly hereafter occupy a prominent place on the British stage, but will never, we think, be a favourite in the closet. Strafford is as devoid of any effusion of fancy, or flight of imagination, as any play can well be; it is unadorned by poetry, the blank verse is occasionally rough and halting, the sentiments and opinions are few and common-place [sic], and, above all, the plot is somewhat obscurely developed to those unread in English history; and yet it was eminently successful. Its success was chiefly owing to the admirable conception, and, what is of more importance in an. historical play, the faithful delineation of the characters, and the stirring action of the incidents.
