In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh set forth an ambitious plan for the colonization of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, encompassing what we now know as North Carolina and Virginia. Though his efforts ultimately culminated in the mysterious failure at Roanoke Island, his vision laid the groundwork for future colonies in America. The state capital of North Carolina, established in 1792, honors Raleigh, the visionary behind the ill-fated Colony of Roanoke. Edmund Gosses biography stands as a pioneering attempt to explore Raleighs personal journey, separate from the broader historical context of his era. At the time of its original publication, Gosse was the Clark Lecturer in English Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge. (Introduction by Wikipedia and Eugene Smith.)