Once, however, he did a short drama fairly well.

_The Cup_ has some dramatic movement, its construction is clear, its verse imaginative, its scenery well conceived; and its motives are simple and easily understood.

But then, as in _Becket_, Irving stood at his right hand, and advised him concerning dramatic changes and situations.

Its passion is, however, cold; it leaves us unimpressed.
On the contrary, Browning's smaller dramatic pieces--I cannot call them dramas--are much better than those of Tennyson.

_Pippa Passes_, _A Soul's Tragedy_, _In a Balcony_, stand on a much higher level, aim higher, and reach their aim more fully than Tennyson's shorter efforts.