reveries; even in those which that Shakespearian
genius, Berlioz, comprehending all extremes, has so well characterized
as "divine coquetries"--coquetries only understood in semi-oriental
countries; coquetries in which men are cradled by their mothers, with
which they are tormented by their sisters, and enchanted by those they
love; and which cause the coquetries of other women to appear insipid
or coarse in their eyes; inducing them to exclaim, with an appearance of
boasting, yet in which they are entirely justified by the truth: NIEMA
IAK POLKI! "Nothing equals the Polish women!" [Footnote: The custom
formerly in use of drinking, in her own shoe, the health of the woman
they loved, is one of the most original traditions of the enthusiastic
gallantry if the Poles.] Through the secrets of these "divine
coquetries" those adorable beings are formed, who are alone capable
of fulfilling the impassioned ideals of poets who, like M. de
Chateaubriand, in the feverish sleeplessness of their adolescence,
create for themselves visions "of an Eve, innocent, yet fallen; ignorant
of all, yet knowing all; mistress, yet virgin." [Footnote: Memoires
d'Outre Tombe. 1st vol. Incantation.] The only being which was ever
found to resemble this dream, was a Polish girl of seventeen--"a mixture
of the Odalisque and Valkyria... realization of the ancient sylph--new
Flora--freed from the chain of the seasons" [Footnote: Idem. 3d vol.
Atala.]--and whom M. de Chateaubriand feared to meet again. "Divine
coquetries" at once generous and avaricious; impressing the floating,
wavy, rocking, undecided motion of a boat without rigging or oars upon
the charmed and intoxicated heart!

Through his peculiar style of performance, Chopin imparted this constant
rocking with the most fascinating effect; thus making the melody
undulate to and fro, like a skiff driven on over the bosom of tossing
waves. This manner of execution, which set a seal so peculiar upon his
own style of playing, was at first indicated by the term 'tempo rubato',
affixed to his writings: a Tempo agitated, broken, interrupted, a
movement flexible, yet at the same time abrupt and languishing, and
vacillating as the flame under the fluctuating breath by which it is
agitated. In his later productions we no longer find this mark. He was
convinced that if the performer understood them, he would divine this
rule of irregularity. All his compositions should be played with this
accentuated and mea