180.—FRIENDS.
The music of Rossini and Meyerbeer would lead us to expect that they might have some personal affinity. Nor would we be mistaken, for they were intimate friends. The friendship would seem to have been real, for it was of such a character as took a real enjoyment in the work and successes, each of the other.
Once, when listening to a performance of "Roberto," the two were seated in a box at the opera house in Paris.
Rossini was so delighted at a certain piece that he jumped up, and, turning to the composer, said:—
"If you can write anything better than that I will undertake to dance on my head!" "Well then," replied Meyerbeer, "you had better begin practicing, for I have just finished the fourth act of 'Les Huguenots.'"