The revival of _Atys_ had taken place at the beginning of the year 1783, when Madame Saint-Huberty played the heroine with an enthusiasm which gave a new lease of life to that fine opera. “Thus,” says M. Jullien, “she found herself dividing her sympathies between the two hostile camps, and lending, in turn, the assistance of her great talent to the two rival composers: to Gluck, who had given her her first opportunity at the Opera, to Piccini, who had helped her to retain her position there.”[185] [Illustration: MADAME SAINT-HUBERTY From an engraving by COLINET after the drawing by LE MOINE] A little time before, on November 27, 1782, the actress had given proof of a talent of rare versatility by rendering with much gaiety and charm the part of Rosette, in Grétry’s _l’Embarras des Richesses_.[186] This piece, notwithstanding some delightful music and Madame Saint-Huberty’s successful impersonation of the heroine, failed, mainly through the ineptitude of the libretto--the production of one Lourdet de Sans-Terre, surnamed by the wits Lourdeau Sans-Tête--which contained some of the most amazing anachronisms ever perpetrated by a presumably educated writer. Thus, the inhabitants of Athens, in the time of Pericles, are made to fast during Lent, flirt with opera-girls, and pay their debts in louis d’or; while, in the ballet, dances are executed by American savages! Bad though it was, however, _l’Embarras des Richesses_ is still remembered, having been rescued from well-merited oblivion by the following amusing epigram: “Embarras d’intérêt, Embarras dans les rôles, Embarras dans ballet, Embarras de paroles, Des embarras en sorte Que tout est embarras, Mais venez à la porte, Vous n’en trouverez pas.” On February 28, 1783, Sacchini’s _Renaud_ was produced, with Rosalie Levasseur in the part of Armide. Her rendering of the part, however, was not considered satisfactory, and, at the fourth representation, she was replaced by Madame Saint-Huberty, who was thus enabled to set the seal upon her reputation. For where Rosalie had been found wanting, she succeeded and succeeded brilliantly, and, by her conversion of a threatened failure into a complete triumph, saved at one stroke the poor musician and the honour of the Opera, which, in cancelling its agreement with Sacchini--about which there had been some talk after the cool manner in which _Renaud_ had been at first received--would have lost the composer’s two masterpieces, _Dardanus_ and _Œdipe à Colone_.[187] * * * * *