A morning call should not be paid before three p.m., nor after six. No one has a right to intrude (unless by permission) on the quiet morning occupations of a family; nor to detain them in the drawing-room after the dressing-bell has rung.

It is very ill-bred also to call on people at their hours for meals; you should especially avoid making your visit at luncheon time.

A morning call should never exceed a quarter of an hour in time. If other visitors come in during your visit, do not " sit them out," as it is phrased; remain for a few minutes after their entrance chatting to them, if they are acquaintances of your own, or if they are strangers to you, bearing a part in the general conversation. Then rise and take your leave, bowing slightly to the strangers as you quit the room.

Never look at your watch during a morning visit; it is very rude to do so.

Do not call with a large party on your friends; two people are quite as many out of one family as would be proper. You ought not to fill a room up with your own relatives or friends. Never take your pet dog ' with you on a call. Many persons have a great objection to animals entering their drawing-room, and others have a fear of, or antipathy to them.

You should always leave your umbrella in the hall, and take care that you do not enter the drawing-room with muddy boots.

Children, also, should be left at home when the mamma goes out on a round of visits, unless she is only calling on an old friend.

If the lady on whom you call is not at home, you must leave your card. If she has grown-up daughters or a sister living with her, two cards; or you may slightly turn down the corner of your card, which signifies that the visit is paid to all.

It is customary for the names of the daughters who are introduced into society to be printed on the same card as their mother's. It is a saving of expense and trouble, and is in good taste, we think, as implying the protection under which the young ladies visit.

A card left at a farewell visit has P.P.C. (pourprendre conge - i.e. to take leave,) written in the corner.

After an illness of any kind, or after the death of any member of the family, a card "returning thanks " is sent to all whose cards or inquiries have been received at the house during the period of affliction.

Visits of condolence are generally paid on friends in affliction soon after the cards of "returning thanks for kind inquiries" have been received.

When morning callers enter your drawing-room you need not advance to receive them beyond a few steps; nor need you lay aside any needlework or light employment in which you may be engaged; only you must take care that all your attention be given, for the time being, to your guests.

You should strive to be pleasant, kindly, and courteous to your visitors, and to let them leave your house with a feeling of satisfaction with themselves and with you.

Take pains to acquire a habit of "small talk" for such occasions, which must not, however, degenerate into gossip; and never let the conversation sink into an awkward silence. Inquiries as to the well-being of your visitor's family or relatives; the public-topics of the day; even "the weather," will always furnish matter for chit-chat without discussing the characters of other people. Nothing is more under-bred than scandal.

It is not necessary to introduce your visitors to each other at a morning call, unless you know they wish to become acquainted. If an ntroduction does take place, you must present the person of inferior social position to the superior; the gentleman to the lady; thus (with a slight bow to the lady) - " Will you allow me to introduce Mr.------?" or, if the person addressed is an intimate friend, and both guests quite on an equality, you need only say "Mr. Smith - Mr. Brown," or "Mr. Smith - Mrs. Bell".

When you are yourself introduced to strangers bow slightly, and enter at once into conversation with them; to bow and take no further notice of them, but to continue your conversation with the lady on whom you are calling, is a great want of good breeding.

People who outsit two or three sets of visitors are always considered " bores".

A lady never calls on a gentleman unless professionally or officially. It is considered an impropriety to do so.

Ceremonial visits are made the day after a ball, when it is sufficient to leave a card. It is usual to call about a week after a small party.

When a stranger calls for the first time, you ought to return the call in about a week's time; a long delay in returning a first visit is considered equivalent to an unwillingness to accept the new acquaintance, unless there has been some unavoidable hindrance, which the lady should explain, and for which she must apologize.

Do not, however, apologize for " not having called for a long time," under any other circumstances, or without some perfectly satisfactory excuse; it would be simply a rudeness.

If you cannot receive a visitor, tell your servant to say that you are "engaged," or " not at home." These last words are not, as they are sometimes thought, a falsehood, for every one knows they merely mean that you are engaged and cannot see visitors.

A lady should be more richly dressed for calling on her friends than she requires to be for an ordinary walk.