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

In an age when marriage was quite literally the most important business transaction of one's life, James W. Donovan sat down to write the kind of honest advice that young people actually needed to hear. This 1890 guide cuts through the romance with a surgeon's precision, offering a series of sharp, practical do's and don'ts for anyone contemplating the most consequential decision of their life. Donovan warns against the obvious traps: marrying for beauty that fades, for money that vanishes, for passion that cools by Tuesday. But he goes deeper, arguing that character, temperament, and shared values matter more than any dowry or desirable silhouette. The tone is never cynical about marriage itself; rather, it's fiercely pragmatic about making it work. What makes this book endure isn't its Victorian specificity, but its timeless insight: that choosing a partner deserves as much careful thought as choosing a career, because it is one. Whether you read it as historical curiosity or genuine wisdom, this little guide still has the power to make you think twice before walking down that aisle.