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You are an Englishman, and have subsequently drawn the greatest prize in the lottery of life.

— Cecil Rhodes

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Notes from Wikiquote

Often quoted in variant forms such as "To be born English is to win first prize in the lottery of life".

More quotes by Cecil Rhodes

Equal rights for all civilized men south of the Zambesi.

The native is to be treated as a child and denied franchise. We must adopt a system of despotism, such as works in India, in our relations with the barbarism of South Africa.

I contend that we are the first race in the world, and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. ... If there be a God, I think that what he would like me to do is paint as much of the map of Africa British Red as possible.

The world is nearly all parcelled out, and what there is left of it is being divided up, conquered and colonised. To think of these stars that you see overhead at night, these vast worlds which we can never reach. I would annex the planets if I could; I often think of that. It makes me sad to see them so clear and yet so far.

The Last Will and Testament of Cecil John Rhodes (1902)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Cecil Rhodes (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.