Page:Tolstoy - Pamphlets.djvu/148

Rh living beings; being done by me, by my life. Otherwise, wherefore this sun, these seasons, and above all, wherefore this three-year-old child, frenzied with superabumdance of life; that old woman who has outlived her reason; or yonder lunatic? These separate beings, which in my eyes evidently have no meaning, and which are yet living so vigorously, are so tenacious of life, and in whom life is so firmly planted, these beings more than anything convince me that they are wanted for some purpose that is wise and good, and inaccessible to me.

Why are you downcast? You are waiting for something too great—wait ing, it seems to me, for God in thunder and storm, and not in stillness. The best of it is that, as you say, you cannot "get away anywhere." In this the hand of God is most visible and pal pable.

You say that I do not seem to ac knowledge God. This is a misunder standing. I acknowledge nothing but God.

I think I wrote and spoke to you about my definition of God, which I would now give in answer to the ques tion. What is God? God is that All, that infinite All, of which I am conscious of being a part, and therefore all