In 1853 we gather from a letter addressed to a friend that he was attracted to national music. As a matter of fact the new opera, upon which he had already started in 1848, was based upon a genuine Russian folk-subject--Poushkin's dramatic poem "The Roussalka" (The Water Sprite). Greatly discouraged by the refusal of the authorities to accept _The Triumph of Bacchus_, Dargomijsky laid aside _The Roussalka_ until 1853. During this interval most of his finest songs and declamatory ballads were written, as well as those inimitably humorous songs which, perhaps, only a Russian can fully appreciate. But though he matured slowly, his intellectual and artistic development was serious and profound. Writing to Prince Odoevsky about this time, he says: "The more I study the elements of our national music, the more I discover its many-sidedness. Glinka, who so far has been the first to extend the sphere of our Russian music, has, I consider, only touched one phase of it--the lyrical. In _The Roussalka_ I shall endeavour as much as possible to bring out the dramatic and humorous elements of our national music. I shall be glad if I achieve this, even though it may seem a half protest against Glinka." Here we see Dargomijsky not as the disciple, but as the independent worker, although he undoubtedly kept _Russlan and Liudmilla_ in view as the model for _The Roussalka_. The work was given for the first time at the Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, in 1856, but proved too novel in form and treatment to please a public that was still infatuated with Italian opera. In 1864-1865 Dargomijsky made a second tour in Western Europe, taking with him the scores of _The Roussalka_ and of his three Orchestral Fantasias, "Kazachok" (The Cossack), a "Russian Legend," and "The Dance of the Mummers" (Skomorokhi). In Leipzig he made the acquaintance of many prominent musicians, who contented themselves with pronouncing his music "_sehr neu_" and "_ganz interessant_," but made no effort to bring it before the public. In Paris he was equally unable to obtain a hearing; but in Belgium--always hospitable to Russian musicians--he gave a concert of his own compositions with considerable success. On his way back to Russia he spent a few days in London and ever after spoke of our capital with enthusiastic admiration.