One day they had a guest who was also a reactionary.

Madame Viardot sang to them a wonderful work with recitative, aria and final allegro, which they praised to the skies.

She had written it expressly for the occasion.

I have read this work and even the cleverest would have been deceived.
But it must not be thought from this that her compositions were mere imitations.

On the contrary they were extremely original.