mes of sapphire blue, deep red,
or green velvet, fur trimmed,--gliding swiftly across the ice, to the
irresistible swing of waltz music and accompanied by flashing uniforms.

In the German-speaking countries everyone skates: the white-bearded
grandfather and the third generation going hand in hand on Sunday
mornings to the nearest ice-pond. With them skating is a communal
recreation, as beer garden concerts are. With us in America most sports
are fashions, not traditions. The rage for skating during the past few
seasons is the outcome of the exhibition skating done by professionals
from Austria, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Canada, at the New
York Hippodrome. Those who madly danced are now as madly skating. And
out of town the young women delight the eye in bright wool sweaters,
broad, long wool scarfs and bright wool caps, or small, close felt
hats,--fascinating against the white background of ice and snow. The
boots are high, reaching to top of calf, a popular model having a seam
to the tip of the toe.

No sport so perfectly throws into relief _command of the body_ as does
skating. Watch a group of competitors for honours at any gathering of
amateur women skaters and note how few have command of themselves--know
absolutely what they want to do, and then are able to do it. One skater,
in the language of the ice, can do the actual work, but has no form. It
may be she lacks temperament, has no abandon, no rhythm; is stiff, or,
while full of life, has bad arms. It is as necessary that the fancy
skater should learn the correct position of the arms as that the solo
dancer should. Certain lines must be preserved, say, from fingers of
right arm through to tip of left foot, or from tip of left hand through
to tip of right foot.

PLATE XV

A portrait by John S. Sargent. (Metropolitan Museum,
painted about 1890.)

We have here a distinguished example of the dignity and
beauty possible to a costume characteristic of the period
when extreme severity as to outline and elimination of
detail followed the elaboration of Victorian ruffles,
ribbons and lace over hoops and bustle; curled hair and the
obvious cameo brooch, massive bracelets and chains.

[Illustration: _Metropolitan Museum of Art_
_Late Nineteenth Century Costume about 1890
A Portrait by John S. Sargent_]

"Form" is the manipulation of the lines of the body to produce perfect
balance, perfect freedom and,