Generations of Pushkinists have marveled at the writer's adroitness in adopting literary personae appropriate to a wide range of genres. His performances in social spheres, on the other hand, have elicited mixed reactions. Some contemporaries, like the censor A. V. Nikitenko, lamented Pushkin's desire to cut a figure in society rather than relying upon his artistic achievements. Others stressed his mastery of social etiquette, as well as his vanity.