Stanley Lane-Poole was an archaeologist and orientalist, but he also wrote many works on other subjects too. This particular book was first published in 1888, and is a biography of the Right Honourable Stratford Canning, Viscount Stratford De Redcliffe. Stratford Canning was a British diplomat and politician, most notably holding the position of British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, form 1825-1828. This is the first volume of the biography and covers his life from his birth in 1786 to his engagements in Greece in 1832. This is a fantastic read for anyone interested in the history of the British diplomatic service during the early nineteenth century. To compliment the republication of this work, a brand new introductory biography of the author has been added.