ABSTRACT
Calvinists condemned luxury as a way of life and wanted to reduce as much as possible the difference between rich and poor as it was expressed in everyday life, but they did not condemn the amassing of riches. For what is or is not considered to be a luxury is always defined within the context of a particular civilization, historical conditions, country or social class. Moderation seems to be an essential element of elegance. An elegant woman, an elegant football match, an elegant dinner, an elegant piece of writing, an elegant architectural construction, and an elegant mathematical proof all have this in common, that they display moderation: it is their simplicity and lack of ostentation that lends them harmony and grace. Elegance and grace are forms of politeness, distinctive and easily recognized, while crudeness and vulgarity are expressive of efforts to achieve distinction by flaunting one's own wealth and superiority over others.
