Oh, could an account be taken of the dreams of a man in a fever, what great and sublime things would sometimes proceed from his delirium! These subjects of music and opera still engaged my attention during my convalescence, but my ideas were less energetic.

Long and frequent meditations, and which were often involuntary, and made such an impression upon my mind that I resolved to attempt both words and music.
This was not the first time I had undertaken so difficult a task.

Whilst I was at Chambery I had composed an opera entitled 'Iphis and Anaxarete', which I had the good sense to throw into the fire.

At Lyons I had composed another, entitled 'La Decouverte du Nouveau Monde', which, after having read it to M.Bordes, the Abbes Malby, Trublet, and others, had met the same fate, notwithstanding I had set the prologue and the first act to music, and although David, after examining the composition, had told me there were passages in it worthy of Buononcini.
Before I began the work I took time to consider of my plan.

In a heroic ballet I proposed three different subjects, in three acts, detached from each other, set to music of a different character, taking for each subject the amours of a poet.