Interesting that Zenaida, the greatest heiress of her day, surrounded by suitors, married Felix senior in the first place. Because most of our information about him comes from his son, who was out of sympathy with him to say the least, do we underestimate him?
Nowadays parents are supposed to love their children unconditionally, and be understanding of their foibles, but I can't see many Victorian fathers looking at the antics of a son like Felix with anything but horror, if not disgust.
Ann