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The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness
·
Florence Hartley
84
CHAPTER
XII.
DINNER
COMPANY.
ETIQUETTE
FOR
THE
GUEST.
When
you
receive
an
invitation
to
join
a
dinner-party,
answer
it
immediately,
as,
by
leaving
your
hostess
in
doubt
whether
you
intend
to
accept
or
decline
her
hospitality,
you
make
it
impossible
for
her
to
decide
how
many
she
must
prepare
for.
If
you
accept
at
first,
and
any
unforeseen
event
keeps
you
from
fulfilling
your
engagement,
write
a
second
note,
that
your
hostess
may
not
wait
dinner
for
you.
Such
a
note,
if
circumstances
render
it
necessary
to
write
it,
may
be
sent
with
perfect
propriety
an
hour
before
the
time
appointed
for
dinner,
though,
if
you
are
aware
that
you
cannot
attend,
earlier,
you
must
send
the
information
in
good
season.
You
should
enter
the
house
of
your
hostess
from
a
quarter
to
half
an
hour
earlier
than
the
time
appointed
for
dining.
Proceed
at
once
to
the
dressing-room,
and
arrange
your
dress
and
hair,
and
then
enter
the
drawing-room.
By
going
to
the
house
too
early,
you
may
hasten
or
interrupt
the
toilet
arrangements
of
your
hostess;
while,
by
being
late,
you
will
establish
a
most
disagreeable
association
in
the
minds
of
all
present,
as
"the
lady
who
kept
dinner
waiting
at
Mrs.
L----'s."
Immediately
upon
entering
the
parlor
find
your
hostess,
and
speak
to
her
first.
It
is
very
rude
to
stop
to
chat
with
other
guests
before
greeting
the
lady
of
the
house.
You
may
bow
to
any
one
you
know,
in
passing,
but
do
not
stop
to
speak.
Having
exchanged
a
few
words
with
your
hostess,
turn
to
the
other
guests,
unless
you
are
the
first
arrival.
In
that
case,
converse
with
your
host
and
hostess
until
others
come
in.
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