He only had to say the word to have any theatre in Europe opened to him, yet he preferred to them all the Opera at Paris and even the Opera-Comique where the choruses and orchestra left much to be desired.

When he did work for Paris after he had given _Margherita d'Anjou_ and _Le Crociato_ in Italy, he was forced to accommodate himself to French taste just as Rossini and Donizetti were.

The latter wrote for the Opera-Comique _La Fille du Regiment_, a military and patriotic work, and its dashing and glorious _Salut a la France_ has resounded through the whole world.

Foreigners do not take so much pains in our day, and France applauds _Die Meistersinger_ which ends with a hymn to German art.

Such is progress! Something must be said of a little known score, _Struensee_, which was written for a drama which was so weak that it prevented the music gaining the success it deserved.