Theprofoundestinsightcannotreachdeeperthanitsownpossibilitiesofdepth。Thephysiognomyofthesoulisnevervisibleinitsentirety，barelyeverevenitsprofile。Theutmostwecanexpecttoreproduce，perhapseventoperceiveinthemostquintessentialmoment，isapartiallyfaithful，partiallydeceptivesilhouette。
Asnohumanbeinghaseverseenhisorherownsoul，inallitsroundedcompletenessofgoodandevil，ofstrengthandweakness，ofwhatistemporalandperishableandwhatisgerminalandessential，howcanweexpecteventhesubtlestanalysttoadequatelydepictothersoulsthanhisown。ItisBrowning’shighdistinctionthathehasthissoul-depictivefacultyrestrictedaseveninhisinstanceitperforceistoanextentunsurpassedbyanyotherpoet，ancientormodern。Asasympatheticcritichasremarked，“HisstageisnotthevisiblephenomenalEnglandorelsewhereofhistory；
itisapointinthespiritualuniverse，wherenakedsoulsmeetandwrestle，astheyplaythegreatgameoflife，forcounters，thetruevalueofwhichcanonlyberealisedinthebullionofahigherlifethanthis。“
Nodoubtthereis“acertaincrudenessinthemannerinwhichthesenakedsoulsarepresented，“notonlyin“Strafford“butelsewhereintheplays。Browningmarkedlyhasthedefectsofhisqualities。
Aspartofhismethod，itshouldbenotedthathisrealtrustisuponmonologueratherthanupondialogue。ToonewhoworksfromwithinoutwardincontradistinctiontotheShakespearianmethodofstrivingtowinfromoutwardforms“thepassionandthelifewhosefountainsarewithin“theproprietyofthisdramaticmeanscanscarcebegainsaid。Theswiftcomplicatedmentalmachinerycanthusbeexhibitedinfinitelymorecoherentlyandcomprehensiblythanbythemostelectricsuccinctdialogue。AgainandagainBrowninghasnighfounderedinthemorassofmonologue，but，broadlyspeaking，hetranscendsinthisdramaticmethod。