The three long dramas of Tennyson are better as dramas than the long ones of Browning.

But the smaller dramatic pieces of Browning are much better than the smaller ones of Tennyson.

_The Promise of May_ is bad in dialogue, bad in composition, bad in delineation of character, worst of all in its subject, in its plot, and in its motives.

_The Cup_, and _The Falcon_, a beautiful story beautifully written by Boccaccio, is strangely dulled, even vulgarised, by Tennyson.

The _Robin Hood_ play has gracious things in it, but as a drama it is worthless, and it is impossible to forgive Tennyson for his fairies.