to that same capacity for the self-sacrificing fulfilment of the will of
God which she is conscious of herself possessing,--a capacity for
enduring toil with expenditure and risk of life,--because she knows that
in this lies the sole guaranty, and the only well-being in life. Such a
mother will not ask other people what she ought to do; she will know
every thing, and will fear nothing.

If there can exist any doubt for the man and for the childless woman, as
to the path in which the fulfilment of the will of God lies, this path is
firmly and clearly defined for the woman who is a mother; and if she has
complied with it in submissiveness and in simplicity of spirit, she,
standing on that loftiest height of bliss which the human being is
permitted to attain, will become a guiding-star for all men who are
seeking good. Only the mother can calmly say before her death, to Him
who sent her into this world, and to Him whom she has served by bearing
and rearing children more dear than herself,--only she can say calmly,
having served Him who has imposed this service upon her: "Now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace." And this is the highest perfection,
towards which, as towards the highest bliss, men are striving.

Such are the women, who, having fulfilled their destiny, reign over
powerful men; such are the women who prepare the new generations of
people, and fix public opinion: and, therefore, in the hands of these
women lies the highest power of saving men from the prevailing and
threatening evils of our times.

Yes, ye women and mothers, in your hands, more than in those of all
others, lies the salvation of the world!

Footnotes:

{21a} The fine, tall members of a regiment, selected and placed together
to form a showy squad.

{21b} [] Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition printed in
Russia, in the set of Count Tolstoi's works.

{24a} Reaumur.

{24b} A drink made of water, honey, and laurel or salvia leaves, which
is drunk as tea, especially by the poorer classes.

{28} [] Omitted by the censor from the authorized edition published in
Russia in the set of count Tolstoi's works. The omission is indicated
thus . . .

{39} _Kalatch_, a kind of roll: _baranki_, cracknels of fine flour.

{59} An _arshin_ is twenty-eight inches.

{60} A _myeshchanin_, or citizen, who pays only poll-tax and not a guild
tax.

{62} Omitted in authorized edition.

{66} Omitted by the censor in th