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618 To what is this that everybody comes with gifts as of old they used to bring gifts to shrines or altars?

Russian skill of dancing? No. Dadaistic scenery? No. Excellent as these things are. The whole reveals these things. The quaintness of Russian types, the depth, sweetness, gaiety, colour of the Russian character? No. The symmetry, reserve, force, tallness of the woman? The diverse simpleness and open humour of the men? The sheer skill as singers, the ingenuity of the managers, the composers, the depth of tradition? No.

All these things existed before the performance. Is it Balieff? There are other Balieffs. All these things are essential—But it is not that which makes men ashamed and tender and wistful and submissive—ready to learn:


 * Katinka dances her polka

on the contracted stage of composition Gaiety is formalized in her dress and her make-up. Youth is in the choice of the actress. Her father blinks to the music to show his joy in her dancing The mother with severe face of renunciation in a shawl—

It cannot be more than it is without in a peasant's cottage being mercenary to the landlord who kills the splendour of national character