Sir Charles Dilke was born in 1843 and died in 1911. His career is one the mysteries and tragedies of 19th-century history. In the summer of 1885 he was the youngest man in the outgoing cabinet and Gladstone's most likely successor as leader of the Liberal Party. His great expectations were shattered when, in July 1885, Donald Crawford, a Liberal candidate, began divorce proceedings against his 22-year-old wife, citing Dilke as co-respondent. In the end, Dilke lost his defence at divorce hearings, resulting in public disgrace. This work, first published in 1958, tells the story of Dilke's experiences, including how he maintained his innocence until his dying day.