y. When you order meat, poultry, or fish,
tell the tradesman when you intend to dress it: he will then have it
in his power to serve you with provision that will do him credit,
which the finest meat, &c., in the world will never do, unless it has
been kept a proper time to be ripe and tendar.

(Kitchiner's Cook's Oracle 56th Thousand. 5s. Houlsion & Sons.)

[DO GOOD TO YOUR ENEMY, THAT HE MAY BECOME YOUR FRIEND.]

45. The Family Circle

Under this title a group of acquaintances in London once instituted
and carried out a series of friendly parties. The following form of
invitation, and the rules of the "Family Circle," will be found
interesting, probably useful:

Will you do me the favour of meeting here, as a guest, on------
next, at seven precisely, a few friends who have kindly joined in an
attempt to commence occasional pleasant and social parties, of which
the spirit and intent will be better understood by the perusal of
the few annexed remarks and rules from

Yours sincerely,------

"They manage it better in France," is a remark to be often applied
with reference to social life in England, and the writer fancies
that the prevalence here of a few bad customs, easily changed,
causes the disadvantageous difference between ourselves and our more
courteous and agreeable neighbours.

i. Worldly appearance; the phantom leading many to suppose that
wealth is the standard of worth--in the minds of friends, a notion
equally degrading to both parties.

ii. Overdress; causing unnecessary expense and waste of time.

iii. Expensive entertainments, as regards refreshments.

iv. Late hours.

The following brief rules are suggested, in a hope to show the way
to a more constant, easy, and friendly intercourse amongst friends,
the writer feeling convinced that society is equally beneficial and
requisite--in fact, that mankind in seclusion, like the sword in the
scabbard, often loses polish, and gradually rusts.

RULE I. That meetings be held in rotation at each member's house,
for the enjoyment of conversation; music, grave and gay; dancing,
gay only; and card-playing at limited stakes.

RULE II. That such meetings commence at seven and end about or after
twelve, and that members and guests be requested to remember that
punctuality has been called the politeness of king