In undertaking this work I am complying with the wishes of a great number of friends, more especially Rhodesians, who knew "the Old Man."<br><br>I have no intention of attempting a complete Life or Biography of Cecil Rhodes, but am simply endeavouring to convey an impression of the man and his work formed from what I knew of him and from the anecdotes I retail.<br><br>I have had the assistance of a very few notes and of one or two stray documents and articles, to the unknown writers of which I tender acknowledgment, but nearly the whole is written from memory.<br><br>Some years ago I designed a more pretentious Life, for the purpose of which I had collected a large amount of material; but the Rhodes Trustees had no faith in my discretion, and I abandoned the work in deference to their wishes, and they purchased my notes and materials.