So?
You have been looking at that beautiful drawing of the ruin of Arica in the _Illustrated London News_: and it has puzzled you and made you sad.

You want to know why God killed all those people--mothers among them, too, and little children?
Alas, my dear child! who am I that I should answer you that?
Have you done wrong in asking me?
No, my dear child; no.

You have asked me because you are a human being and a child of God, and not merely a cleverer sort of animal, an ape who can read and write and cast accounts.
Therefore it is that you cannot be content, and ought not to be content, with asking how things happen, but must go on to ask why.

You cannot be content with knowing the causes of things; and if you knew all the natural science that ever was or ever will be known to men, that would not satisfy you; for it would only tell you the _causes_ of things, while your souls want to know the _reasons_ of things besides; and though I may not be able to tell you the reasons of things, or show you aught but a tiny glimpse here and there of that which I called the other day the glory of Lady Why, yet I believe that somehow, somewhen, somewhere, you will learn something of the reason of things.

For that thirst to know _why_ was put into the hearts of little children by God Himself; and I believe that God would never have given them that thirst if He had not meant to satisfy it.
There--you do not understand me.