পাতা:মাইকেল মধুসূদন দত্তের জীবন-চরিত - যোগীন্দ্রনাথ বসু.pdf/৭০৫

叶同f陵1 Vyuo building erected for the purpose. The next was the Bengal Theatre, subsequently named the Royal Bengal. Theatre, since it had the honor of playing before His Royal Highness the late lamented Prince Albert Victor, at his Reception in Calcutta. it owed its establishment to the direct influence of Michael Madhu who induced the late Babu Sarat Chandra Ghose to open the theatre, with an assurance that he would write fresh dramatic pieces for its benefit, but Madhu, unfortunately, died before he could redeem his promise or see the theatre in full swing. The theatre was, however, opened on the 16th August 1873, with Modhu’s Maya Kanan for its first performance. History will not fail to register the fact that, for the fist time since the dawi of English education in our country, the efforts of a few-scarcely half a dozen educated young men, in the quiet pursuit of innocent pleasure without professing to play the part of reformers, or attempting to bouleverse the country with outland ish innovations, gave a practical shape to the organisation of Oul dramatic representations, on an enlightened and rational basis, The example set by the Belgatchia, Pathuriaghatta, and Jorasanko Theatres paved the way for the establishment of several permanent public Theatres that have now become standing institutions in our country for the amusement and instruction of the people. I trust your readers will find the above account of the origin of the Bengali Theatre interesting, and therefore excuse us for its length ; and although we were very desirous of preserving the account for the information and interest of posterity, we would not have given it in this book if the name of Modhu Soodlun Dutt were not intimately connected with the Bengali Drama, and if he had not taken a prominent part in the promotion and success of the first Bengali Theatre, by composing plays for it, as well as attending the performances, and making suggestions to the actors for their improvement. I now conclude my reminiscences with a description of Modhu's character. There, perhaps, had never existed a man of a more loving heart than he. His friendship was not an ordinary friendship. His heart always brimmed over with love. His love was like the impetuous torrent that bounds over field and dale irresistible in its course, and deep in its volume, carrying on its bosom the sympathetic and sentimental, ang repelling to a distance the prosaic and the callous, who could not appreciate such love. There was no ebb-tide in his feelings; they were in perennial flood, without ever being sluggish. He was an ardent admirer of beauty, nor was beauty, less prone to reciprocate his feelings, Modhu had great faith in love at first sight. 'Who loved that did not love at first sight.' Though he entertained this belief, though he was by nature