By a law of nature that is not in our power to alter, France has produced only a very small number of great musicians, by which I mean those superior geniuses who are like gods of music: almost all of them have seen the light of day in Italy or, above all, in Germany. We can pride ourselves for having as compatriots musicians of high quality, who have played a major role in the history of French music: Campra, Destouches, Monsigny, Philidor, Berton, Boϊeldieu, Nicolo, Herold, etc.; but I see none but Rameau, and perhaps Méhul and Berlioz, who can be placed among the leading f gures of musical art.