leisure and wealth, and that we can live on composedly, knowing that
these things are so. Let us forget that in great cities and in
London, there is a proletariat, and let us not say that so it must
needs be. It need not be this, and it should not, for this is
contrary to our reason and our heart, and it cannot be if we are
living people. Why not hope that we shall come to understand that
there is not a single duty incumbent upon us, not to mention personal
duty, for ourselves, nor our family, nor social, nor governmental,
nor scientific, which is more weighty than this? Why not think that
we shall at last come to apprehend this? Only because to do so would
be too great a happiness. Why not hope that some the people will
wake up, and will comprehend that every thing else is a delusion, but
that this is the only work in life? And why should not this "some
time" be now, and in Moscow? Why not hope that the same thing may
happen in society and humanity which suddenly takes place in a
diseased organism, when the moment of convalescence suddenly sets in?
The organism is diseased this means, that the cells cease to perform
their mysterious functions; some die, others become infected, others
still remain in perfect condition, and work on by themselves. But
all of a sudden the moment comes when every living cell enters upon
an independent and healthy activity: it crowds out the dead cells,
encloses the infected ones in a living wall, it communicates life to
that which was lifeless; and the body is restored, and lives with new
life.

Why should we not think and expect that the cells of our society will
acquire fresh life and re-invigorate the organism? We know not in
what the power of the cells consists, but we do know that our life is
in our own power. We can show forth the light that is in us, or we
may extinguish it.