JA seems to have it out, in a way, for first/only sons -- indulged, expensive, idle, too early independence..... I just finished MP, and we have both Tom Bertram and Henry Crawford "gone bad" from causes related to this. There's Willoughby from S&S. I wonder how many first/only sons in her acquaintance/knowlege suffered thusly? Or, is it just human nature? Perhaps the English should have raised their families telling the first son he was to get everything, but then actually giving it to the second? What could have been the solution to the evil? Of course, Darcy didn't go too bad (as in drinking, running up debt, womanizing) but he did have a large dose of arrogance to overcome.....