Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-15
Henry Labouchere, M. F.

Those who have seen Mir. Labouchere only
 in the House of Commons or in the city
 would hardly recognize him in the gray clad
 gentleman who is taking a Hong long pull and
 a strong strong pull" in his skiff, having on board three or four ladies and the proper percentage of children. He is rowing all these
 people about apparently to his entire satis-
 faction and seems quite as cool as when he
 says, "You may impugn my motives and dis
 sect my argument but pray do not say my
 anecdotes are old. They may not be true,
 bnt they are surely new for I make them
 myself" In like manner all his observations
 contain the element of surprise It is never
 possible to calculate surely upon any reply that is outside of the domain of mathema-
 tics. In the higher strata of society it is al-
 most as dangerous to speak contemptuously
 of partridge shooting as to avow liking for Nihilism or atheism. A suspicion is felt at
 once that there is something wrong" about
 one, and cloud of prejudice is at once evolv- ed. All this social terrorism has no more ef feet upon MT. Labouchere than to invite at- tack It is delightful to hear him holding forth on the folloy of walking through wet turnips in thick uncomfortable boots to shoot birds which can be obtained in better condi- tion for cooking from a poulterer; while his audienceEshudder at his sentiments, however
 much they may respect his audacity. After his youthful rambie in America Mir. Iabou- chere became attached to the legation at Washington, where, and in New York, he left the memory of many dron sayings and doings In Europe he has served in at least half dozen capitals as attache of embassy or legation, as the case might be, and has &C., cumulated vast knowledge of what MT. Spencer Ponsonby-Fane would call his pace. He is a determined water drinker and never touches wine when he can get the pure ele- ment. But he has no VOWS, and, water be- ing unattainable, will drink anything he can get. And water is difficult to get at many English dinner-tables. When you ask any one to pass 8 water bottle, you are met by 8 look of surprise, contempt or compassion, D Mir. Labouchere will say, and will simply give quiet smile, when the remark of the Scotchman is quoted, to the effect that wa ter-drinker takes of the rest of mankind the shabby advantage of being always painfully sober. But what he abstains from in drink he makes up in tobacco, and thust'does not disturb the balance of vices," thought
 which appears to yield him infinite consola- tion.
 The most calm and collected of men, Mr. Labouchere finds his certain enjoyment in every kind of mental exercises. He openly
 confessed that he derived ''keeniintellectual
 pleasure" from the lawsuit in which he late
 ly succeeded ia completely checkmating his
 adversary. He also derives ''keen intellec-
 tual pleasure'' from following, with amazing
 keenness of scent, the various manoeuvres by which entirely worthless stock may be brought t upon the market. He also enjoyed himself as a 'sBesieged Resident in Paris during the dark hours between the lurid sunset of the Empire and the gusty dawn of the Republic.
 How he wrote from beleaguered Paris an amusing and graphic series of letters to The DaiZy Neaos is too well known to need more tban passing comment. It is not, however on the merits of foreign governments and Turkish securities that MT. Labouchere dis courses most eloquently. His best vein is
 when he records the exploits of another La bouchere. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes has pointed out that when John and Tom are to- gether, they represent six persons. There are, for example, John as he really is, John as John thinks he is and John as Thomas
 thinks him to be. Apply this to Thomas and we have six persons. In the case of MT. La
 bouchere there are several persons to be con- sideredss; first, Mir. Labouchere as he is &C., tually; secondly, the same as seen by his friend thirdly the same as seen by himself; fourthly the same as he describes himself. The latter is purely fancy portrait of the most amusing kind. There is no limit of mendacity, of trickery or of shufiing that the imaginary Labouchere has not transgress- ed He is gambler of the deepest dye, 8 deceitful friend, a treacherous enemy He will say, t'When I was at Washington, people here did not know about American things as they do now, so wrote thirty letters to diff ferent individuals announcing that l had dis patched to each one . barrel Of canvas back ducks, wild turkeys and oysters. received in return letters expressing thanks for my good intentions, and stating that the articles announced had not come to hand. I need hardly tell you, my dear K, that never sent duck, a turkey or an oyster to any living creature
 When story like this is told in the Uoia l tqutasU7ate which was fashionable before the Uoir fettee came in, the unsophisticated lis tener at once feels a little cold down the back, l and fails to quite see the joke. It is only when he knowsIthe member for Northampton | well that he recognizes the entire narrative as a fiction invented for his amusement. MT. Labouehere never falls into the vulgar error of telling any story which reflects the slight | est credit upon himself. If by any acciden he were betrayed into the admission that he, | like good Samaritan, had succored stran- ger by the wayside, he would take great care | to explain that the oil and wine which he poured into the mans wounds only cost a l shilling, while he picked his pocket of g stray guinea that the thieves had left and | thus realized profit on the transaction. No | man, perhaps, has more sincere respect for
 sound ability; yet he will tell how, when he | was running" his own theatre, the Queen's s, | he compelled a prominent dramatic author l to rewrite one act of a play, in. order to
 'bring in" some costly properties he had 1 just bought for cash at a great bargain from | a man who had stolen them. All this ironi. l cal, this sham seany:;side of MT. Labouchere'f character is thoroughly well understood by
 his friends, who, knowing him to be 'as ! straight as shad's back, Pare delighted when | he appears in hissssfaVorite character as fGn- tdT'0n de Uice.