John Dunton's "question project" -- "Kissing is a luscious diet" : Courtship -- "Much love and moderate conveniency" : Choosing a spouse -- "Read history (nothing amorous)" : Parental consent -- "A contract solemnly made" : Promises and vows -- "Both sides must make allowances" : Matrimony -- "A very amorous disposition" : Dangerous liaisons

"In the late seventeenth century, the bookseller John Dunton began soliciting anonymous questions for a new broadsheet periodical, The Athenian Mercury, that he hoped would provide entertainment and discussion fodder for patrons of London's many coffeehouses. These questions, dutifully answered by Dunton and his two collaborators, covered a wide range of topics, from the Bible to medicine and law. But shortly after the periodical launched, Dunton began to receive many questions about personal relationships, particularly about courtship, marriage, and sex. In this book, Mary Beth Norton presents a broad selection of these personal inquiries from The Athenian Mercury, a group of questions and answers that constitute the first known personal advice column. Through these entertaining exchanges, organized by theme, contemporary readers gain a unique glimpse into some of the social and romantic conventions and personal preoccupations of the day. The book includes an introduction that provides historical context about the Mercury, as well as about legal and social conventions of the time, and a list of further reading"--