242 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPAEDIA. 



strangers, or, being of a too friendly disposition, may take the liberty of 

 lying on a lady's gown, or jumping on the sofas and easy chairs. Where 

 your friend has a favourite cat already established before the fire, a battle 

 may ensue, and one or both of the pets be seriously hurt. Besides, many 

 persons have a constitutional antipathy to dogs, and others never allow 

 their own to be seen in the sitting-rooms. For all or any of these reasons, 

 a visitor has no right to inflict upon her friend the society of her dog as 

 well as of herself. Neither is it well for a mother to take young children 

 with her when she pays morning visits ; their presence, unless they are 

 unusually well trained, can only be productive of anxiety to both your- 

 self and your hostess. She, while striving to amuse them, or to appear 

 interested in them, is secretly anxious for the fate of her album, or the 

 ornaments on her e'tag&re ; while the mother is trembling lest the children 

 should say or do something objectionable. 



If other visitors are announced, and you have already remained as long 

 as courtesy requires, wait till they are seated, and then rise from your 

 chair, take leave of your hostess, and bow politely to the newly arrived 

 guests. You will, perhaps, be urged to remain, but having once risen, it 

 is best to go. There is always a certain air of gaucherie in resuming your 

 seat and repeating the ceremony of leave-taking. 



If you have occasion to look at your watch during a call, ask permis- 

 sion to do so, and apologize for it on the plea of other appointments. 



In receiving morning visitors, it is not necessary that the lady should 

 lay aside the employment in which she may be engaged, particularly if it 

 consists of light or ornamental needle-work. Politeness, however, re- 

 quires that music, drawing, or any occupation which would completely 

 engross the attention, be at once abandoned. 



You need not advance to receive visitors when announced, unless they 

 are persons to whom you are desirous of testifying particular attention. 

 It is sufficient if a lady rises to receive her visitors, moves forward a sin- 

 gle step to shake hands with them, and remains standing till they are 

 seated. 



When your visitors rise to take leave you should rise also, and remain 

 standing till they have quite left the room. 



A lady should dress well, but not too richly, when she pays a morning 

 visit. 



CONVERSATION. 



There is no conversation so graceful, so varied, so sparkling, as that of 

 an intellectual and cultivated woman. Excellence in this particular is, 



