He was always sincere, though he was never given credit for being so in South Africa.

Sir Alfred Milner could not understand why Rhodes, instead of resolutely asserting that he wanted to enter into negotiations with the Bond in order to win its co-operation in the great work of organising the new existence of South Africa on a sound and solid basis, preferred to cause promises to be made to the Bond which he would never consent to acknowledge.
These tortuous roads, which were so beloved by Rhodes, were absolutely abhorrent to the High Commissioner.

When Rhodes started the agitation for the suspension of the Constitution, which occupied his thoughts during the last months of his life--an agitation which he had inaugurated out of spite against Mr.Sauer and Mr.Hofmeyr, who had refused to dance to Rhodes' tune--Sir Alfred Milner had at once seen through the underlying motives of the moment, and what he discerned had not increased his admiration for Rhodes.

Sir Alfred had not opposed the plans, but he had never been sanguine as to their chance of success, and they were not in accordance with his own convictions.

Had he thought they had the least chance of being adopted, most certainly he would have opposed them with just as much energy as Sir Gordon Sprigg had done.