In _Moise_ and _Le Siege de Corinthe_ (not to mention _Guillaume Tell_) he rose to heights which have not been surpassed in spite of the poverty of the means at his disposal.

As Victor Hugo has victoriously demonstrated, such poverty is no obstacle to genius and wealth in them is only an advantage to mediocrity.
I was one of the regular pianists at Rossini's.

The others were Stanzieri, a charming young man of whom Rossini was very fond and who lived but a short time, and Diemer, who was also young but already a great artist.

One or the other of us would often play at the evening entertainments the slight pieces for the piano which the Master used to write to take up his time.

I was only too willing to accompany the singers, when Rossini did not do so himself.