12. Where a young lady is shrewish and overbearing towards her lover it will not answer for him to yield too far to her caprices, or she may despise him as pusillanimous. Some girls find fault and quarrel just for the pleasure of a reconciliation. In such a case you are justified in opposing her to a certain extent, but be careful and not go too far, or she may “fly off the handle” in a pet, and make it difficult for you to regain her favor.
13. A young man should never pay particular attention to a girl he does not think of marrying. Male coquettes are humbugs, and the ladies should never tolerate them. If a girl suspects the sincerity of her lover, she should show indifference to him by “being particularly engaged” when he calls. If he is sincere in his attachment be will be all the more anxious for an interview. Treat him with polite indifference, and if he is really in love he will think it about time to come to an understanding with you.
14. To sum up: you should never begin a courtship until you are old enough to marry—until you have the means, or a fair prospect of them, to support a wife—nor until you meet with a girl whose tastes, peculiarities, morals and habits of thinking you admire, and you are perfectly sure that your regard for her is built upon reason, not upon the caprice of the moment.
Marriage.
To be happy in the married state is one of the most important things that can engage the attention of both sexes the world over.
What a lamentable fact it is that there are so many matches made that turn out to be the lifetime misery of both parties! This can be avoided or prevented more by persons knowing what kind of a partner would suit them, before getting married.
To be happy in wedlock persons must be properly mated. Every one should know what sort of a person they want for a partner. For instance: a gentleman who is fond of life and amusement, and wants to enjoy everything as much as possible, never should think of marrying a lady who feels the happiest when she is quietly sitting by her fireplace at home, reading some book of science, or fretting about the domestic affairs not being carried on to suit her. What sort of a match would this make?
Neither should a lady with bright auburn hair, and vigorous, lively constitution, unite her destiny with a light-haired, pale, sickly, thin-looking man that prefers to take the world easy in all things. Such a couple can never get along happily.
I will here give some directions by which the disposition of every one, male or female, may be told; and as every one knows what sort of a partner they want, there need not be any more trouble in matrimonial affairs after this.
Persons with red hair are generally the most affectionate, if they marry one who does not neglect them in the little attentions due from the one to the other in married life.