Phineas Finn by Anthony Trollope [Palliser Series #2]

Phineas Finn is the only son of a successful Irish doctor, who sends him to London to become a lawyer. He proves to be a lackadaisical student, but being pleasant company and strikingly handsome to boot, he makes many influential friends. One of them, a fellow Irishman and politician, makes the absurd suggestion that Finn run for Parliament in the coming election.