Author's Note 40
A famous dancing master in Paris, knowing well his world, did
extravagant things through pretense and gave to his art an importance
that people claimed to find ridiculous but for which they basically gave
him great respect. In another art no less frivolous one can see still
today a comedian do similarly important and frivolous things and succeed
just as well. This method is always sure to please in France. True talent,
more simple and less pretentious, brings no fortune. Modesty is the virtue of
the simpleminded.