The Resolutions of John Holt Rice

Resolutions in the hand-writing of Dr. Rice, found in his pocket-book with his will, without date, or his name.

What I resolve that I will endeavor to do.

1st. To keep under my body; and change my physical constitution. Take food for nourishment and not for pleasure. Take no more than is necessary, and be indifferent as to the quality. Sleep for refreshment and not for indulgence. Endeavor to do as much useful work every day as I can. Dress as cheaply as comports with decency.

2nd. To use all my property for benevolent purposes. Pay every thing I owe as soon as possible. Save all that I can by practising self-denial. And give all I can in the exercise of sound discretion to objects of benevolence. Never spare person, property, or reputation if I can do good. Necessary that I should die poor.

3d. As to my disposition toward others. 1st. Endeavor to feel kindly to every one; never indulge anger, malice, envy, jealousy, towards any human being. 2nd. Endeavor to speak as I ought, to, and about, every one, aiming in all that I say to promote the comfort, improvement and happiness of every one who lives. 3d. Endeavor to act so as to advance, (1) the present comfort, (2) the intellectual improvement, (3) the purity and moral good of all my fellow-men.

As to my Creator. To endeavor to fix more deeply in my mind, all truth that I can possibly discover respecting him; and to feel, think and act in correspondence with that truth.

Finally. When I have done all, to acknowledge that I am nothing, that I deserve nothing, and that my Creator has a right to do with me as seems good to him.

— William H. Foote, Sketches of Virginia (Second Series) [1855], pp. 455-456