yourself unfit for that circle. To speak disrespectfully of
him is to insult personally every lady who composes it.

In company, though none are "free," yet all are "equal." All
therefore whom you meet, should be treated with equal
respect, although interest may dictate toward each different
degrees of attention. It is disrespectful to the inviter to
shun any of her guests. Those whom she has honoured by asking
to her house, you should sanction by admitting to your
acquaintance.

If you meet any one whom you have never heard of before at
the table of a gentleman, or in the drawing-room of a lady,
you may converse with him with entire propriety. The form of
"introduction" is nothing more than a statement by a mutual
friend that two gentlemen are by rank and manners fit
acquaintances for one another. All this may be presumed from
the fact, that both meet at a respectable house. This is the
theory of the matter. Custom, however, requires that you
should take the earliest opportunity afterwards to be
regularly presented to such an one.

Men of all sorts of occupations meet in society. As they go
there to unbend their minds and escape from the fetters of
business, you should never, in an evening, speak to a man
about his professions. Do not talk of politics with a
journalist, of fevers to a physician, of stocks to a broker,-
-nor, unless you wish to enrage him to the utmost, of
education to a collegian. The error which is here condemned
is often committed from mere good nature and a desire to be