Iwasashamedtohavemadethatblunder。Iwasembarrassed；tocoveritIstartedtosayweusedtocombinethemlikethatwhereIcamefrom，butthoughtbetterofit，andstoodpat。
\"Nowthen，\"Isaid，\"itamountstothis：waterisanindividual，ananimal，andisalive；removethehydrogenanditisananimalandisalive；theremainingoxygenisalsoanindividual，ananimal，andisalive。Recapitulation：thetwoindividualscombinedconstituteathirdindividual——andyeteachcontinuestobeanindividual。\"
IglancedatFranklin，but……uponreflection，heldmypeace。I
couldhavepointedouttohimthatherewasmuteNatureexplainingthesublimemysteryoftheTrinitysoluminously——thateventhecommonestunderstandingcouldcomprehendit，whereasmanyatrainedmasterofwordshadlaboredtodoitwithspeechandfailed。ButhewouldnothaveknownwhatIwastalkingabout。AfteramomentIresumed：
\"Listen——andseeifIhaveunderstoodyourightly，towit：Alltheatomsthatconstituteeachoxygenmoleculeareseparateindividuals，andeachisalivinganimal；alltheatomsthatconstituteeachhydrogenmoleculeareseparateindividuals，andeachoneisalivinganimal；eachdropofwaterconsistsofmillionsoflivinganimals，thedropitselfisanindividual，alivinganimal，andthewideoceanisanother。Isthatit？\"