Greater Britain

It is no easy matter to spread Christianity among the Cinghalese, the inventors of Buddhism, the most ancient and most widely-spread of all the religions of the world. Every Buddhist firmly believes in the potential perfection of man, and is incapable of understanding the ideas of original sin and redemption. -From the chapter "Maritime Ceylon" After leaving the University of Cambridge in 1866, Charles Wentworth Dilke, 2nd Baronet, embarked upon a world tour of the English-speaking world, an odyssey that took him to such far-flung places as the Rocky Mountains, Pitcairn Island, Tasmania, India, and points in between. The resulting travelogue, published in 1869, remains an engaging tale of adventure for today's readers. Its contemporary perception as a defense of the floundering British Empire, however, and its subsequent ignition of a new wave of British imperialism makes it a must-read for those intrigued by the history of Victorian England and its dominion over much of the globe. SIR CHARLES WENTWORTH DILKE (1843-1911), politician and writer, served as a Liberal member of Britain's Parliament and supported historic legislation enfranchising women, legalizing labor unions, and limiting working hours.