A pair of public lectures, joined by an appendix, explores themes of colonization, imperial identity, and political leadership. The first lecture compares the language and patterns of ancient Greek settlement in southern Italy with those of modern British overseas expansion, highlighting geographic and cultural contrasts that shaped each expansion. The second lecture examines the career and symbolic role of a prominent statesman in relation to the growth and perception of imperial authority. The appendix offers a more detailed, argumentative discussion of proposals for imperial federation and the political ideas underpinning overseas union.