"BREVISESSELABORO"

"brevisesselaboro"

"onedip"

(1830)

muchspeechobscuresthesense;thesoulofwit

isbrevity:ourtaleoneproofofit.

poorbalbulus,astammeringinvalid,

consultsthedoctors,andbythemisbid

totrysea-bathing,withthisspecialheed,

"onedipwasallhismaladydidneed;

morethanthatonehiscertaindeathwouldbe."

nowwhosonervousorsoshookashe,

forbalbulushadneverdippedbefore?

twowell-knowndippersatthebroadstairs'shore,

stout,sturdychurls,havestripthimtotheskin,

andnaked,cold,andshiveringplungehimin.

soonheemerges,withscarcebreathtosay,

"i'mtobedip—dip—dipt—.""weknowit,"they

reply;expostulationseemedinvain,

andoverearstheysousehiminagain,

andupagainherises,hiswordstrip,

andfalterasbefore.still"dip—dip—dip"—

andinagainhegoeswithfuriousplunge,

oncemoretorise;when,withadesperatelunge,

atlengthheboltsthesewordsout,"onlyonce!"

thevillainscravehispardon.hadthedunce

butaimedatthesebarewordstherogueshadfoundhim,

butstrivingtobeprolix,theyhalfdrownedhim.