nce, however, according to Cicero, "Silence is one of the greatest
arts of conversation," there may be added, with equal wisdom, to the
above counsel, "Listen often and well." Be not an impatient listener,
nor yet an impassive one, but pay the compliment of attention and
interest to the subject in hand, and your company will be sought as an
acquisition.

Any lady, by profound attention to, and a pleased interest in the
subject under consideration, may promote the conversation most
skillfully and delightfully. Knowledge of the subject is not always
necessary. An English savant, deeply interested in Egyptology, once
escorted a young lady out to dinner. His conversation, as a matter of
course, turned entirely upon excavations, hieroglyphics, and kindred
topics. Upon all these the young lady was profoundly ignorant, but, if
unversed in Egyptian lore, she was most thoroughly versed in
conversational arts, and, by her speaking glances of intelligence and
her pleased smile, so fascinated the man of science that he
enthusiastically declared afterward that "Miss L---- was one of the
best conversationalists and the most intelligent young lady he had
ever met, and that her knowledge of Egyptology was something
wonderful." This, to one who had sat opposite them at table, and could
have vouched that the lady in question had not spoken a single word
through the entire dinner, was slightly amusing. So strong however,
was the impression left upon the mind of the savant by her interested
attention, that it would have been difficult to convince him of the
fact.

The Good Listener.

This, even if an exception, shows what attentive listening may
accomplish toward social success. Let it be mentioned here, however,
that no one individual should be so carried away by a pet hobby as to
force conversation into a monologue. A very well bred man, no matter
how great his interest in or eloquence upon any topic may be, always
catches at the slightest hint to close the conversation.

A man will always bear in mind that the greatest compliment he can pay
a woman is a respectful, deferential attention to her words. There are
men whose very manner of listening conveys, in itself, the most
delicate flattery.

A woman, in her turn, should always remember that, however interesting
her conversation may be, there is always danger that a man may
possibly weary of its protracted continuance, and so she should
forebear leaving him no loophole for esca