Charles Lamb was once advised by his doctor to take a course of "sea-bathing" at Hastings. Shivering with cold and anxiety, the poet stood at the door of his bathing machine and prepared to instruct the men who were to "dip" him. Alas, his chronic stammer interfered:
"Hear me, men!" he demanded. "Take notice of this. I am to be d-d-d-dipped..." At this, the men, having received their instructions, plunged the poet into the sea. Emerging from the icy water, Lamb was scarcely able to stammer, "I tell you I am to be d-d-d-dipped..."
Thus directed, his assistants plunged him a second time. After a third dunking, Lamb was finally able to complete his original sentence: "I tell you that I am -- no, that I was -- to bed-d-d-dipped only once!"
Sources
W. Keddie, Literary and Scientific Anecdote
