- a country gentleman, MP, estate of L1500 a year -- sportsman --wife dies and "Ricardo at fifty-fice turned Debauchee." --two sons (Garcia, 20 and Henrick, 16 and a daughter Silvia, 8)-- Garcia is studious, but Henrick inherits some more money and runs riot along with his father: "...the fine old Seat, which in the good Lady's Days had been remarkable for the Sobriety of the Family, and Christian Hospitality to the distressed, was now become a Receptacle for all the Riots, Youths of Fashion that pleased to come; Gaming, Drinking, and Obscenity, were as familiar there as in a Brothel: nor could a Country Wench live as Servant a Week, without being ruined." (pp. 5-6) --Garcia is worried about Sylvia and tries to instruct her on virtue --he moves her to London with him, but she still has "the bold awkward Forwardness of a Country Romp" and delights in making mischief --she is sent home (13 years old) --Garcia is married to a neighbor (Charina) for her money --before long they get a separate maintenance --Henrick falls in love with a lady whom Sylvia and Ricardo don't like, but they pretend to consent --Big celebration for Henrick's birthday --description of Sylvia: "She was low of Stature, very brown, and so extreamly fat, that I really think she was thicker over the Shouolders than she was tall; yet the Oddness of her Shape, joyn'd to the Thickness of her Clothes, made her look like a moving Quagmire." (p. 31) -- Later, during the dances Lord Marcus dances with Sylvia: "My Lord made choice of his Cousin Sylvia, but he pay'd dearly for it before the had done; for by that time they had danc'd half an Hour, jumping about had put her into such a Sweat, that she smelt strong enough to ckoak every Body that came near her." (p. 35) --Henrick stands his fiancee up and goes to Holland --Capsule history of Evadne, one of their friends and a town lady: "[she]...never left teazing her Husband, till he brought her to Twon, where, ten Years after, at an Age, when one would have thought she had been past charming, she became the avowed Mistress of a Man, too great for me to name: nay, so vain was she of this Amour, that she took no Pains to conceal her Shame, but laugh at some Friends who took the Liberty to remove her; never once attempting to deny or excuse it: her Husband left her, and took his Son with him, whom he enjoyn'd never to speak to his Mother on pain of being disinherited. The Daughter stay'd with her, and if Fame speaks true; so exactly follow'd her Steps, that, as soon as she grew up to Woman, she rivall'd her in her Lover; which mortified her Pride so much, that all on a sudden she turned a most Zealous Devotee, and would have been reconciled to her Husband." (p. 40) --Henrick returns and convinces himself he had done the right thing: "He resolved for the future to stick at nothing that might any way conduce to his Pleasure or Grandeur." (p. 42) --Meantime, Sylvia : "Sylvia, who was so hardened to Vice, that she thought nothing a Crime, began to grow wondrous fond of her Brother...She would sit in his Chamber Hours after he was in Bed...She made no scruple to kiss him, sit on his Knee, threw her Arms round his Neck, and behave in so scandalous a Manner that the Servants took Notice." (p. 42) --Ricardo intends to a rich, spoiled heiress who is 8 years old --the heiress overhears Sylvia and Henrick tell of their past villainies --she flees to hr uncle and tells him all--uncle tells Ricardo, which shocks him --Henrick eventually marries a virtuous woman who reforms him. Sylvia is forced to marry a neighbor (lower class) who keep her under strong discipline. She provokes her husband to kill another man. The last paragraph: "These are the sad Effects of a careless Education; few young Ladies had a fairer Prospect of Happiness than Sylvia: she had no-body to accuse; herself only blasted the beauteous Scene: Envy, like a Canker, consumed her Peace, and the malignant Effects extended to all who were so unhappy to be acquainted with her. Envy was the original Cause of all her other Vices. Let her Example warn the Fair, and Young, and teach the too indulgent Parents carefully to watch the different Turns of Temper in their tender Offspring." (p. 74) --[Very confused narration --a kind of realism, but mostly intended for sensational effect.]