the form of words generally made use of. They, however, can be varied in proportion to the intimacy or position of the hosts and guests:-- Mr. and Mrs. A---- present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. B----, and request the honour, [or hope to have the pleasure] of their company to dinner on Wednesday, the 6th of December next. A---- STREET, _November 13th, 1859. R. S. V. P._ The letters in the corner imply "_Répondez, s'il vous plaît;_" meaning, "an answer will oblige." The reply, accepting the invitation, is couched in the following terms:-- Mr. and Mrs. B---- present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. A---, and will do themselves the honour of, [or will have much pleasure in] accepting their kind invitation to dinner on the 6th of December next. B---- SQUARE, _November 18th, 1859._ Cards, or invitations for a dinner-party, should be issued a fortnight or three weeks (sometimes even a month) beforehand, and care should be taken by the hostess, in the selection of the invited guests, that they should be suited to each other. Much also of the pleasure of a dinner-party will depend on the arrangement of the guests at table, so as to form a due admixture of talkers and listeners, the grave and the gay. If an invitation to dinner is accepted, the guests should be punctual, and the mistress ready in her drawing-room to receive them. At some periods it has been considered fashionable to come late to dinner, but lately _nous avons changé tout cela_.