original_query: What was the maxim that the artist followed in his conduct before the public?
query: What maxim did Jean-Baptiste Nicolet follow in his conduct before the public?
answer: Nicolet's maxim was to never astound the audience but to hold them in suspense by a series of efforts, the gradation of which should be judiciously managed, with each evolution leading to a more astonishing one, culminating in the most arduous and wonderful feat he knew.