e I listened to the enraptured recitation of these by Akshay Babu.
The poems combined with the pictorial designs to conjure up for me a
dream picture of the Ireland of old. I had not then actually heard the
original tunes, but had sung these Irish Melodies to myself to the
accompaniment of the harps in the pictures. I longed to hear the real
tunes, to learn them, and sing them to Akshay Babu. Some longings
unfortunately do get fulfilled in this life, and die in the process.
When I went to England I did hear some of the Irish Melodies sung, and
learnt them too, but that put an end to my keenness to learn more. They
were simple, mournful and sweet, but they somehow did not fit in with
the silent melody of the harp which filled the halls of the Old Ireland
of my dreams.

When I came back home I sung the Irish melodies I had learnt to my
people. "What is the matter with Rabi's voice?" they exclaimed. "How
funny and foreign it sounds!" They even felt my speaking voice had
changed its tone.

From this mixed cultivation of foreign and native melody was born the
_Valmiki Pratibha_.[45] The tunes in this musical drama are mostly
Indian, but they have been dragged out of their classic dignity; that
which soared in the sky was taught to run on the earth. Those who have
seen and heard it performed will, I trust, bear witness that the
harnessing of Indian melodic modes to the service of the drama has
proved neither derogatory nor futile. This conjunction is the only
special feature of _Valmiki Pratibha_. The pleasing task of loosening
the chains of melodic forms and making them adaptable to a variety of
treatment completely engrossed me.

Several of the songs of _Valmiki Pratibha_ were set to tunes originally
severely classic in mode; some of the tunes were composed by my brother
Jyotirindra; a few were adapted from European sources. The _Telena_[46]
style of Indian modes specially lends itself to dramatic purposes and
has been frequently utilized in this work. Two English tunes served for
the drinking songs of the robber band, and an Irish melody for the
lament of the wood nymphs.

_Valmiki Pratibha_ is not a composition which will bear being read. Its
significance is lost if it is not heard sung and seen acted. It is not
what Europeans call an Opera, but a little drama set to music. That is
to say, it is not primarily a musical composition. Very few of the songs
are important or attractive by themselves; they all serve merely