But what if I fail of my purpose here? It is but to keep the nerves at strain, to dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall, and baffled, get up and begin again.

In these years Browning was fascinated by and learned from the art and atmosphere of Italy. The subject of the 16th century savant and alchemist was probably suggested to him by the Comte Amédée de Ripart-Monclar to whom it was dedicated. Browning then wrote two other plays one of which was not performed while the other failed Browning having fallen out with Macready.