at any time, without these elegancies; for, after all, true enjoyment never consists in such things, but in a hospitable, hearty greeting, and the consciousness that you are an acceptable and welcome guest. Goldsmith thus describes those dinners:

"Blest be those feasts, with simple plenty crowned,
Where all the happy family around

Laugh at the jests and wit that never fail,
Or sigh with pity at some mournful tale,
Or press the bashful stranger to his food,
And learn the luxury of doing good."

HINTS.

1. A round or oval table for a dinner-party has been. decided to be most conducive to comfort and conversation.

2. For comfort and elegance, we think not more than ten should sit down to dinner, and would give the preference to eight. Large dinners are rarely agreeable.

3. Two white table-cloths should be placed upon the table; the one on which the dinner is served to be removed when the dessert appears.

4. On the sideboard should be tastefully arranged the articles of plate for the dinner, such as silver waiters, candelabra, knives, forks, and spoons.

5. The wines must remain in ice till they are used; that is, such as require it: but neither red wines nor Madeira must ever be cooled.

6. Table-linen, napkins, &c., should all be of the finest

damask. The quality of these articles has a great effect upon the appearance of the table.

7. Silver dishes, where the means permit, should also be used; and also the finest kind of glass, — cut, never blown or moulded.

8. The dessert-knives should be silver, with handles to suit your taste, either of silver also, or agate, or motherof-pearl.

9. Dinner etiquette varies. At present, at the most elegant dinners, no dish is either carved or helped at table. Every thing is brought from a side-table.

10. Flowers are a very important item in ornamenting a dinner-table. The arrangement must vary with the fashion the present mode is to arrange them upon the table itself, perfectly flat and it has the advantage of not interfering with the view of your opposite neighbors.

11. The French custom of a bouquet at each lady's plate is a pretty one, and frequently adopted here.

12. Every dinner must begin with soup. The French say, "Without soup, there is no dinner."

13. Fish formerly followed as a necessity. At present, there is a difference in this matter.

14. The entrées, or made dishes, should be well arranged, well chosen, and well cooked.

15. The removes generally consist of poultry, in place of the roast, game, French dishes, &c.

16. A grand dinner is incomplete without a finishing salad, which must always be served alone.

17. Pastry has been said to involve "very high art," and requires much care to have it good.

18. Coffee should always be served before the guests leave the table, followed by a "chasse café," or small glass of cordial.

19. Servants should wait in white cotton gloves.

20. Finger-glasses should be placed by each person's plate at dessert. The water in them may be perfumed, or a lemon or orange leaf put into each glass.

21. If the finger-glass and doily are placed on your dessert-plate, remove the doily to the left of your plate, and place the finger-glass upon it, leaving the right for the wine-glasses.

22. Be careful to know the shapes of the various kinds of wine-glasses, to avoid making blunders. High and narrow or very broad and shallow glasses are used for champagne; large goblet-shaped glasses for Burgundy and claret; ordinary wine-glasses for sherry and Madeira; green glasses for hock; and somewhat large bell-shaped glasses for port.

Hock

23. Port, sherry, and Madeira are decanted. and champagne appear in their native bottles. Claret and Burgundy should be handed round in glass claretpitchers.

24. If any thing is to be taken cold, let it be as cold as ice; if hot, let it be smoking.

25. Servants must be well trained and instructed that the charm of waiting consists in its being done silently, almost noiselessly.

26. In short, rules for a dinner have been well summed up as follows: "The attendance should be rapid and noiseless, the guests well assorted, the wines of the best quality, the host attentive and courteous, the room well lighted, and the time punctual."

27. There is still a higher authority concerning these feasts, and one rule which has never been quoted:

"When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen nor thy neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But, when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

D

III.-POLITENESS AT THE TABLE.

"La politesse est à l'esprit

Ce que la grace est au visage :

De la bonté du cœur elle est la douce image,

UCLOS says, "Politeness is the expression or the imitation of the social virtues."

Politeness is nothing but practical kindness. There is no politeness without kindness, benevolence, and a certain degree of sensibility.

Chesterfield defines good breeding, "the mixture of good sense and good nature."

These are, no doubt, the essentials; but there is something more that can only be acquired by instruction, or by the habit of mingling in good company.

To give some knowledge of these 'conventional forms is one object of these essays; and here it will not be amiss to introduce a story, given by M. Boitard as a warning.

The Abbé Cosson, a celebrated professor of the belleslettres, and one of the most erudite men of his day, was invited to a dinner-party, composed of people of the highest rank and eminence. The good Abbé had not the least distrust of his knowledge of etiquette, and, in going home with M. Delille, boasted that there was nothing in the way of propriety which could have been objected to in him through the dinner.

"You?" answered Delille: "you are greatly mistaken; you did nothing but commit blunders from beginning to end."

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Impossible!" said the Abbé: "I am sure I behaved like everybody else!"

"Your presumption makes you think so: the truth is, you did nothing like other people, and I will prove it to you. Come, count on your fingers!"

1st. You unfolded your napkin, you spread it out, and fastened it by the corner to your button-hole. Nobody but you did such a ridiculous thing. The napkin is not to be opened out: it is to be kept in the lap.

2d. You ate your soup with your spoon in one hand