mistake to invite great talkers together. Brilliant men
and women who love to talk want hearers, not rivals. Very silent people
should be sandwiched between good talkers, or at least voluble talkers.
Silly people should never be put anywhere near learned ones, nor the dull
near the clever, unless the dull one is a young and pretty woman with a
talent for listening, and the clever, a man with an admiration for beauty,
and a love for talking.

Most people think two brilliant people should be put together. Often they
should, but with discretion. If both are voluble or nervous or
"temperamental," you may create a situation like putting two operatic
sopranos in the same part and expecting them to sing together.

The endeavor of a hostess, when seating her table, is to put those
together who are likely to be interesting to each other. Professor Bugge
might bore _you_ to tears, but Mrs. Entomoid would probably delight in
him; just as Mr. Stocksan Bonds and Mrs. Rich would probably have
interests in common. Making a dinner list is a little like making a
Christmas list. You put down what _they_ will (you hope) like, not what
you like. Those who are placed between congenial neighbors remember your
dinner as delightful--even though both food and service were mediocre; but
ask people out of their own groups and seat them next to their pet
aversions, and wild horses could not drag them to your house again!

=HOW A DINNER LIST IS KEPT=

Nearly every hostess keeps a dinner list--apart from her general visiting
list--of people with whom she is accustomed to dine, or to invite to
dinner or other small entertainments. But the prominent hostess, if she
has grown daughters and continually gives parties of all sorts and sizes
and ages, usually keeps her list in a more complete and "ready reference"
order.

Mrs. Gilding, for instance, has guest lists separately indexed. Under the
general heading "Dinners," she has older married, younger married, girls,
men. Her luncheon list is taken from her dinner list. "Bridge" includes
especially good players of all ages; "dances," young married people, young
girls, and dancing men. Then she has a cross-index list of "Important
Persons," meaning those of real distinction who are always the foundation
of all good society; "Amusing," usually people of talent--invaluable for
house parties; and "New People," including many varieties and unassorted.
Mrs. Gilding exchanges invitations with a number of t