Why men enter Parliament--New Windsor--His agreement with Sir Henry Hoare--Imprudent choice of agents--Election--Is unseated on petition--Repartee before Special Commission--His line of defence in the _Times_--Another letter on the subject--His maiden Speech--Reminiscences of the Windsor election--Anecdote about Lord Taunton--Becomes member for Middlesex--His speeches in the House--General Election of 1868--Lord George Hamilton--His quarrel with Lord Enfield--The _Times_ on the quarrel--Nomination of candidates--Conservative rowdies--the poll--Dignified speech--Absurd reminiscence--Henry Irving at Brentford--General Election of 1874--Is defeated at Nottingham CHAPTER V JOURNALISM AND THE STAGE (1864-1880) His connection with the _Daily News_--He buys a share--Manager of the Queen's Theatre--_Time and the Hour_--_Dearer than Life_--Contretemps--Financial loss--Poor opinion of artists--A Bohemian--His knowledge of London--Edmund Yates tells how he came on the staff of the _World_--His city articles--Trial of Abbott at the Guild Hall--A calculator--Labouchere and Grenville Murray--He leaves the staff of the _World_--Journey with Mr. Bellew--Adventure with Dumas père--With Dumas fils--His visit to Newgate--Sensations as a man about to be hanged--Remarks about the Claimant--Immense popularity of _Truth_--The Lying Club in Co. Durham {xv} CHAPTER VI THE BESIEGED RESIDENT (September, 1870-February, 1871) He replaces Mr. Crawford as correspondent--Mrs. Crawford's impressions of him--Chaos at the Post Office--Immediate events leading up to the siege--His account of how the news of Sedan was received in Paris--The Prussians at Versailles--How he got his letters to London--Ennui--Letter to his mother--Theatrical behaviour of the Parisians--Further letters to his mother--His wardrobe--His hat--The _Gaulois_--New Year's address to the Prussians--His opinion of French journalists--His estimate of General Trochu--Meals during the siege--Castor and Pollux--Another letter to his mother--The leg of mutton and the sentimental Prussian soldier--His departure from Paris--How he behaved when under fire CHAPTER VII LABOUCHERE AND BRADLAUGH The General Election of 1880--The "Radical" colleague--A faithful constituency--Mr. Bradlaugh and the oath--A House divided against itself--Labouchere's views on religion--His support of Bradlaugh--Unscrupulous use of the _affaire_ Bradlaugh by the Opposition--Victory of Mr. Bradlaugh--His upright character and final popularity in the House--Mr. Gladstone's tribute--Mr. Labouchere on his colleague--The parallel of Wilkes CHAPTER VIII LABOUCHERE AND IRELAND (1880-1883)