I have to thank my many relatives and friends who have allowed me to make use of their letters from Mr. Labouchere, and also my cousin, M. Georges Labouchère, for communicating the result of his researches on the life of my great-grandfather. Among old friends of Mr. Labouchere, who have given me personal reminiscences of him, I have especially to thank Mrs. Emily Crawford, Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, Lord Welby, Sir Audley Gosling, and Mr. Robert Bennett, the editor of _Truth_, whose help has been invaluable in the narrative of Mr. Labouchere's founding of _Truth_ and of its subsequent fortunes. Most of all, my thanks are due to Mr. Thomas Hart Davies, without whose constant sympathy and assistance this biography could not have been written. ALGAR L. THOROLD. 12 CATHERINE STREET, WESTMINSTER. August 15, 1913. {xiii} CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE LABOUCHERE FAMILY The Huguenots of Orthez--Youth of Pierre-César--Exile--The Dutch counting-house--A double ruff and a bid for a bride--Napoleon and peace--Fouché--The French agent---Ouvrard--The wrath of Cæsar--The French loan--Residence in England--Lord Taunton--Mr. John Labouchere CHAPTER II CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH (1831-1853) Birth of Henry Labouchere--Early education--His first _mot_--Eton days--The young pugilist--The toper--Views on fagging--Trinity College, Cambridge--Insubordination--Suspension--His defence--He lives at a London tavern--Severe judgment of himself--Travels with a bear-leader--Wiesbaden--Voyage to Mexico--Gambling and good resolutions--Letter to his tutor CHAPTER III TRAVELS AND DIPLOMACY (1853-1864) Travels in Mexico--In love--The Chippeway Indians--In New York--His American sympathies--His views on American education--On American diplomats--On American girls--Becomes attaché at Washington--Mr. Crampton--Gambling again--The Irish patriot--Views on diplomatic negotiations--At Munich--Stockholm--Frankfort--Bismarck at Frankfort--Similarity of their opinions {xiv} about diplomacy--His popularity at Frankfort--Petersburg--In love again--His opinion of Russians--Anecdotes--Dresden--Economical family at Marburg--Republic of Parana--Revolution in Florence--Constantinople--His stories about Lord Dalling--Close of diplomatic career--Mrs. Crawford's estimate of his character and remarks on his diplomatic career--_Memoir of Henry Labouchere_, by Wilfrid Scawen Blunt CHAPTER IV PARLIAMENTARY AMBITIONS (1866-1869)