some extent altered the book sent to Munich, but only by the
omission of several interesting features. The fury of the Munich
manager was great, whereupon St. Georges declared his
astonishment that the latter could have imagined he would supply
a libretto intended solely for the German stage at the paltry
price offered by his German customer. As I had formed my own
private opinion as to procuring French librettos for operas, and
as nothing in the world would have induced me to set to music
even the most effective piece of writing by Scribe or St.
Georges, this occurrence delighted me immensely, and in the best
of spirits I let myself go on the point for the benefit of the
readers of the Abendzeitung, who, it is to be hoped, did not
include my future 'friend' Lachner.

In addition, my work on Halevy's opera (Reine de Chypre) brought
me into closer contact with that composer, and was the means of
procuring me many an enlivening talk with that peculiarly good-
hearted and really unassuming man, whose talent, alas, declined
all too soon. Schlesinger, in fact, was exasperated at his
incorrigible laziness. Halevy, who had looked through my piano
score, contemplated several changes with a view to making it
easier, but he did not proceed with them: Schlesinger could not
get the proof-sheets back; the publication was consequently
delayed, and he feared that the popularity of the opera would be
over before the work was ready for the public. He urged me to get
firm hold of Halevy very early in the morning in his rooms, and
compel him to set to work at the alterations in my company.

The first time I reached his house at about ten in the morning, I
found him just out of bed, and he informed me that he really must