The Art of Leaving.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 933, 17 January 1890, Page 4

The Art of Leaving.

When Mine, deSt&el visited Weimer with the avowed intention of intellectually capturing the literary lions of the day—Goethe and Schiller—she made one fatal mistake—she staid too long. Goethe wrote to Schiller : ‘Mme, de Stael is a bright, entertaining person, but she ought to know when it is time to go.’ The art of leaving is less understood by women than by men. The habits of business, the recognised fact that to a business man time is money, the throng and press and exactness of business life, ail tend to make men who live in cities the best possible

examplers of the fine art of leaving quickly and neatly. A business man’s social call is usually a model of good manners in this re. speefc. When he has said what he has to say and listened to what there is to hear he takes his hat, says ‘Good evening,' and is out of your presence without giving any time or chance for the too often tedious add embarrassing commonplaces of mutual invitations aud promises to call again which seem to be a kind of social formula with women. In striking contrast with this neat and skilful method of cutting short the parting words of an interview or call is tire too common social practice of visitors, who, commencing to leave, seem temporarily to abandon their purpose and then linger, as though it was a kind of compliment to the visited party to appear loth to part company.

Who does not dread the visitor who starts, then thinks of something else to say ; rises, and then thinks of another subject of conversation ; nearly reaches the door, and, most probably holding it open, is aroused to a degree of mental brilliancy that threatens his ueaith and that of his host or hostess by long detaining of both in a cold draught while he discourses ? Whit a tax on the patience aud politeness of the listener, who vainly strives, by assenting instantly to every proposition, to end thi interview and break the restraining bond of polite attention !