"
"Of course we understand that the success of a dinner depends much
more on the character of the guests than on the character of the
food," said Mrs. Sinclair; "and most of us, I take it, are able to
fill our tables with pleasant friends; but what of the dull people
who know none but dull people? What gain will they get by taking
counsel how they shall fill their tables?"
"More, perhaps, than you think, dear Mrs. Sinclair," said Sir John.
"Dull people often enjoy themselves immensely when they meet dull
people only. The frost comes when the host unwisely mixes in one
or two guests of another sort--people who give themselves airs of
finding more pleasure in reading Stevenson than the sixpenny
magazines, and who don't know where Hurlingham is. Then the sheep
begin to segregate themselves from the goats, and the feast is
manque."
"Considering what a trouble and anxiety a dinner-party must be to
the hostess, even under the most favouring conditions, I am always
at a loss to discover why so many women take so much pains, and
spend a considerable sum of money as well, over details which are
unessential, or even noxious," said Mrs.
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