HOW TO ORGAXI/J: A DAX ix; PARTY un T.AI.L. 



Not more than two or three days should be permitted to elapse before 

 you reply to an invitation of this kind. The reply should always be ad- 

 dn ->s,.d to the lady of the house, and should be couched in the same per- 

 son as the invitation. The following are the forms generally in use : 



MolviKMix requests the honour of Captain Hamilton's company at an evening 

 , on M<>n.l;iy, March the llth instant. 



Dancing will l>^i!n ( Xine o'clock. 



Thursday, March 1st. 



Captain Hamilton has much pleasure in accepting Mrs. Molyneux's polite invitation 

 for Monday evening, March the llth instant. 



Friday, March 2nd. 



The old form of " presenting compliments " is now out of fashion. 



If Mrs. Molyneux writes to Captain Hamilton in the first person, as 

 1 My dear Sir," he is bound in etiquette to reply "My dear Madam." 



The lady who gives a ball* should endeavour to secure an equal num- 

 ber of dancers of both sexes. Many private parties are spoiled by the 

 preponderance of young ladies, some of whom never get partners at all, 

 unless they dance with each other. 



A room should in all cases be provided for the accommodation of the 



ladies. In this room there ought to be several looking-glasses; attendants 



to assist the fair visitors in the arrangement of their hair and dress ; and 



some place in which the cloaks and shawls can be laid in order, and found 



moment's notice. It is well to affix tickets to the cloaks. Diving a 



duplicate at the same time to each lady, as at the public theatres and con- 



cert rooms. NY. -dies and thread should also be at hand, to repair any little 



nt incurred in dancing. 



Another room should be devoted to refreshments, and kept amply sup- 

 plied \\-ith wffee, lemonade, ices, wine, and biscuits during the even 



When- this cannot ! arranged, tin- refreshments should be handed round 



tin- dances. 



question <f .supper is one which so entirely depends on the n 

 of th<>.se wlm give ;i ball oroveiiin^ party, that very little can l>e said upon 

 of this description. Where money is no object. it is of 

 rse alwa cable to have the whole supper, "with all applian 



nt in tV ..in some first-rate house. It spares all trou- 

 whether to the entertainers or their servants, and relieves the hostess 



It will l.i- mi.]. -nitood that we uae the word " ball" to signi v party where there is 



dancing, a* well as a puMk- ball. 



