improvised for Rossini, the latter says: "It is music that flows from
the fountain-head. There is reservoir water and spring water. The former
only runs when you turn the cock, and is always redolent of the vase;
the latter always gushes forth fresh and limpid. Nowadays people
confound the simple and the trivial; a _motif_ of Mozart they would call
trivial, if they dared."

On other occasions Moscheles plays to the _maestro_, who insists on
having discovered barriers in the "humoristic variations," so boldly do
they seem to raise the standard of musical revolution; his title of the
"Grand Valse" he finds too unassuming. "Surely a waltz with some angelic
creature must have inspired you, Moscheles, with this composition, and
_that_ the title ought to express. Titles, in fact, should pique the
curiosity of the public." "A view uncongenial to me," adds Moscheles;
"however, I did not discuss it.... A dinner at Rossini's is calculated
for the enjoyment of a 'gourmet,' and he himself proved to be the one,
for he went through the very select _menu_ as only a connoisseur would.
After dinner he looked through my album of musical autographs with the
greatest interest, and finally we became very merry, I producing my
musical jokes on the piano, and Felix and Clara figuring in the duet
which I had written for her voice and his imitation of the French
horn. Rossini cheered lustily, and so one joke followed another till we
received the parting kiss and 'good night.'... At my next visit,
Rossini showed me a charming 'Lied oline Worte,' which he composed only
yesterday; a graceful melody is embodied in the well-known technical
form. Alluding to a performance of 'Semiramide,' he said with a
malicious smile, 'I suppose you saw the beautiful decorations in it?' He
has not received the Sisters Marchisio for fear they should sing to
him, nor has he heard them in the theatre; he spoke warmly of Pasta,
Lablache, Rubini, and others, then he added that I ought not to look