1. Marry in your own position in life. If there is any difference in
social position, it is better that the husband should be the superior.
A woman does not like to look down upon her husband, and to be obliged
to do so is a poor guarantee for their happiness.
2. It is best to marry persons of your own faith and religious
convictions, unless one is willing to adopt those of the other.
Difference of faith is apt to divide families, and to produce great
trouble in after life. A pious woman should beware of marrying an
irreligious man.
3. Don't be afraid of marrying a poor man or woman. Good health,
cheerful disposition, stout hearts and industrious hands will bring
happiness and comfort.
4. Bright red hair should marry jet black, and jet black auburn or
bright red, etc. And the more red-faced and bearded or impulsive a
man, the more dark, calm, cool and quiet should his wife be; and vice
versa. The florid should not marry the florid, but those who are dark,
in proportion as they themselves are light.
5. Red-whiskered men should marry brunettes, but no blondes; the color
of the whiskers being more determinate of the temperament than that of
the hair.
6. The color of the eyes is still more important. Gray eyes must marry
some other color, almost any other except gray; and so of blue, dark,
hazel, etc.
7. Those very fleshy should not marry those equally so, but those too
spare and slim; and this is doubly true of females. A spare man is
much better adapted to a fleshy woman than a round-favored man. Two
who are short, thick-set and stocky, should not unite in marriage, but
should choose those differently constituted; but on no account one of
their own make. And, in general, those predisposed to corpulence are
therefore less inclined to marriage.
8. Those with little hair or beard should marry those whose hair is
naturally abundant; still those who once had plenty, but who have lost
it, may marry those who are either bald or have but little; for in
this, as in all other cases, all depends on what one is by nature,
little on present states.
9. Those whose motive-temperament decidedly predominates, who are
bony, only moderately fleshy, quite prominent-featured, Roman-nosed
and muscular, should not marry those similarly formed.
10. Small, nervous men must not marry little, nervous or sanguine
women, lest both they and their children have quite too much of the
hot-headed and impulsive, and die suddenly.
11. Two very beautiful persons rarely do or should marry; nor two
extra homely. The fact is a little singular that very handsome women,
who of course can have their pick, rarely marry good-looking men,
but generally give preference to those who are homely; because that
exquisiteness in which beauty originates naturally blends with that
power which accompanies huge noses and disproportionate features.
[Illustration: LIGHT. LIFE. HEALTH AND BEAUTY.]
12. Rapid movers, speakers, laughers, etc., should marry those who are
calm and deliberate, and impulsives those who are stoical; while those
who are medium may marry those who are either or neither, as they
prefer.
13. Noses indicate characters by indicating the organisms and
temperaments. Accordingly, those noses especially marked either way
should marry those having opposite nasal characteristics. Roman noses
are adapted to those which turn up, and pug noses to those turning
down; while straight noses may marry either.
14. Men who love to command must be especially careful not to marry
imperious, women's-rights woman; while those who willingly "obey
orders" need just such. Some men require a wife who shall take their
part; yet all who do not need strong-willed women, should be careful
how they marry them.
15. A sensible woman should not marry an obstinate but injudicious,
unintelligent man; because she cannot long endure to see and help him
blindly follow his poor, but spurn her good, plans.
16. The reserved or secretive should marry the frank. A cunning
man cannot endure the least artifice in a wife. Those who are
non-committal must marry those who are demonstrative; else, however
much they may love, neither will feel sure as to the other's
affections, and each will distrust the other, while their children
will be deceitful.
17. A timid woman should never marry a hesitating man, lest, like
frightened children, each keep perpetually re-alarming the other by
imaginary fears.
18. An industrious, thrifty, hard-working man should marry a woman
tolerably saving and industrious. As the "almighty dollar" is now the
great motor-wheel of humanity, and that to which most husbands devote
their entire lives to delve alone is uphill work.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: FIRESIDE FANCIES.]
* * * * *