In 1881 a subscription was taken up to erect a statue to the author of _La Legende des Siecles_, and they began to plan celebrations for its dedication, particularly a big affair at the Trocadero.

My imagination took fire at the idea, and I wrote my _Hymne a Victor Hugo_.
As is well known, the master knew nothing at all about music, and the same was true of those around him.

It is a matter of conjecture how the master and his followers happened to mistake some absurd and formless motif for one of Beethoven's sublime inspirations.

Victor Hugo adapted the beautiful verses of _Stella_ to this halting motif.

It was published as an appendix in the _Chatiments_, with a remark about the union of two geniuses, the fusion of the verse of a great poet with the _admirable_ verse of a great musician.