four, and even thirty, guests, however, when
well selected, may make a very brilliant and successful gathering. Too
brilliant a conversationalist is not always a desirable acquisition,
since he may silence and put in the shade the remainder of the company
to an extent that is hardly agreeable even to the meekest among them.

A small dinner of one's most intimate friends is easily arranged. An
eminent artist, author, musician, to pose as chief guest, renders it
always easy to select among one's other acquaintances a sufficient
number who would be pleased with, and pleasing to, this bright,
particular star. Or, if it be a bride, or a woman of fashion, to whom
the courtesy is to be extended, it is equally easy to find a
sufficient number of guests of similar social standing and aspirations
to make the occasion a success.

There is also the satisfaction of knowing that, as one cannot possibly
invite all of one's dear five hundred friends to a little dinner, no
one can be offended at being left out, thus rendering it easy to
choose one's list to fit the circumstances.

Do not invite more guests than there is room to comfortably seat.
Nothing so spoils a dinner as crowding the guests.

Seating the Guests.

Since, at no social entertainment are the guests so dependent upon one
another for mutual entertainment as at a dinner, both by reason of its
smallness and the compactness of arrangement, it will be seen that an
equal care devolves upon the hostess in seating as in inviting her
guests.

The most tedious of one's friends can be tolerated at a party where it
is possible to turn to others for relief, but to be chained for two or
three hours, with the necessity upon you of talking, or trying to
talk, to the same dull or conceited individual that the fates have
unkindly awarded as your companion, is a severe social strain upon
equanimity of soul.

Hence, each hostess should strive to so arrange her guests that
like-minded people should be seated together, and people with hobbies
should either be handed over to those likewise possessed, or into the
hands of some sympathetic listener, thus securing the pleasure of all.

Known enemies should be seated as far apart as possible, and, in
reality, should never be invited to the same dinner. If this should
inadvertently happen, they must remember that common respect for their
hostess demands that they recognize one another with ordinary
politeness.

Laying the Table.