VICTORIAN SCANDAL by Roy Jenkins. 447 pages. Chilmark Press; Random House. $7.95.
On the morning of July 19, 1885, Sir Charles Dilke sat confidently on top of what Disraeli once called "the greasy pole" of British politi ". Disraeli himself, though a Tory, had acknowledged Liberal Dilke as "the most useful and influential" politician of his generation. Gladstone had just designated Sir Charles, then only 41, to succeed him as leader of the Liberal Party. As such, he was almost certain to become Prime Minister when Gladstone, then almost 76, stepped down. But before the fateful day was over, Dilke had...
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