the dinner is served punctually to the hour named in the
invitation.

The dinner-hour varies from eight to nine, although perhaps 8.30 is the
most usual hour. In the country it ranges from 7.30 to 8.30.

Punctuality on the part of the guests enables the hostess to make any
introductions she may consider advisable before dinner is served.

The host and hostess should be in readiness to receive their guests in
the drawing-room at the hour specified on the card.

On arrival, a lady should take off her cloak in the cloak-room, or
should leave it in the hall with the servant in attendance, before
entering the drawing-room.

A gentleman should leave his overcoat and hat in the gentlemen's
cloak-room, or in the hall.

At large dinner-parties, the butler is stationed on the staircase, and
announces the guests as they arrive. At small dinner-parties, or where
only one man-servant is kept, the servant precedes the guest or guests
on their arrival, to the drawing-room. The guests should then give their
names to the servant, that he may announce them.

A lady and gentleman, on being announced, should not enter the
drawing-room arm-in-arm or side by side. The lady or ladies, if more
than one, should enter the room in advance of the gentleman, although
the servant announces "Mr., Mrs., and Miss A."

The host and hostess should come forward and shake hands with each guest
on arrival. The ladies should at once seat themselves, but gentlemen
either stand about the room and talk to each other, or sit down after a
wait of some minutes.

When a lady is acquainted with many of the guests present, she should
not make her way at once to shake hands with all, but should make an
opportunity to do so in an unobtrusive manner; it would be sufficient to
recognise them by a nod or a smile in the mean time. A lady should bow
to any gentleman she knows, and he should cross the room to shake hands
with her at once if disengaged.

At a small dinner-party, where the guests are unacquainted, the hostess
should introduce the persons of highest rank to each other; but at a
large dinner-party, she would not do so, unless she had some especial
reason for making the introduction.

In the country, introductions at dinner-parties are far oftener made
than in town.

Precedency is strictly observed at all dinner-parties. (See Chapter V.)

* * * * *

=Sending Guests in to Dinner.=--The host should take the lady of h