CONVERSATIONS WITH MEN.

SPEAK to old men of the past; to the middle-aged of the present; and to young men of the future.

Seek the conversation of intelligent men; politely avoid that of the foolish; and hear with patience and indulgence that of the ignorant.

As men of every description are to be met with in society, tolerance is a virtue of the first necessity.

If you find yourself in the presence of a man of superior intelligence, enliven the conversation with adroit commendations, to engage his interest and prolong the interview.

Endeavor, above all, to speak, not of what you yourself know, but of that with which your interlocutor is well acquainted; as our aim should be, not so much to attract attention to ourself, as to gratify another's self-love, by affording him every opportunity of being pleased with himself.

If you have the misfortune to be in the

company of a foolish person, and cannot with decency decline conversing, recollect the French adage "Folly comes as naturally from a fool as bitter fruit from the wild tree;" and be indulgent.

With a superior, adopt a tone of "modest assurance," without servility; if you speak to an equal, do not assume ridiculous airs of superiority; endeavor to appear humble even to an inferior; his gratitude will then allow you more limit than you have a right to demand.

Never speak to a man of your riches, of your advantages for education when young, or of your family's high standing and influence. Such information will more appropriately come from another.

DINNER PARTIES.

Ar a dinner party, if you arrive before the appointed hour, (you should never be late,) there will always be a chance of ascertaining to some extent the character and condition of those with whom you are to dine, and this chance should never be neglected. Communicative persons may easily be distinguished from those who are taciturn, the deaf from those who are not, the gay from the sad. By such previous acquaintance, many irreparable mistakes may be avoided.

Do not say much at the commencement of a dinner, at least, until the hunger of those engaged is somewhat satisfied; or undertake to relate anything which may require the sustained attention of those present. Their minds are, for a time, under the dominion of their appetites.

A quaint old writer gives the following sage advice. "Adjourn discourse until the stomach is full,— at which time men are more at leisure, and may securely venture upon table talk;

the observation of which natural rule might have saved Anacreon's life; who, endangering himself this way, died by the seed of a grape."

Never speak while you have food in your mouth. It is both dangerous to yourself, and unpleasant to others.

Do not refer to your own appetite, or speak dish you may prefer, which is not upon

of any

the table.

Ask no gentleman or lady at the table to help you to any thing, if there are servants in attendance. The latter are the proper persons to wait upon you.

It is exceedingly improper to address a person, more especially a lady, whom you perceive in the act of raising a portion of food to the mouth. In order to answer you, they will be obliged to swallow hastily, at the imminent hazard of choking, or return the portion untasted to their plate.

It is equally improper to talk in a familiar manner with the servants, or to make any remark respecting them to one of the party. You have only to ask with civility and gentleness for what you want; and beyond that, you have no business with them.

The host should not invite any guest more than once, to partake of any particular dish. To be under the necessity of declining frequently, when a refusal is once distinctly spoken, is extremely annoying. Many a one has suffered from indigestion, in consequence of yielding to the reiterated persecutions of an inconsiderate host; they,—the guests, preferring to risk the consequences of repletion, rather than persist, with seeming obstinacy, in repeated refusals.

The host should never, in helping any one, recommend the article offered, or shower praises upon his cook; neither should he depreciate the cook, or that which the cook has served up, asserting that the dinner is good, or regretting that it is not good. Neither ought his guests to make any remark whatever upon the quality or quantity of the provisions. The mere dinner itself is not to be presumed of sufficient importance to be made a topic of conversation.

If

you should be asked to drink wine with another, (a very foolish custom, by the way,) it is not necessary to utter the common phrase, "Your health," "My respects to you,"