Don't Marry; or, Advice on How, When and Who to Marry

The pamphlet offers compact, candid guidance on choosing a life partner through a sequence of short topical admonitions. It argues against marrying for beauty or money, warns of hasty or very early unions, and urges attention to character and practical compatibilities—temperance, thrift, physical proportion, age, temperament, and honesty. Short illustrative stories underscore consequences of poor selection, while individual headings catalogue common pitfalls such as coquetry, elopement, drunkenness, miserliness, and marrying from pity or spite. Practical counsel emphasizes deliberation, counsel from trusted friends, and selecting companions for enduring qualities rather than fleeting attractions.