9. Mr. Knight favoured the river, remarking that "there is little doubt that Shakspeare referred to the river Yssell, Issell, or Izel, the most northern branch of the Rhine, and that which is nearest to Denmark."
Thus we have, on the side of vinegar, Theobald, and Malone's first edition, on the side of the river, Sir T. Hanmer, Steevens, Malone's second edition, Boswell, Mr. Singer in 1826, and Mr. Knight; six against two. I say nothing of Johnson, whom, however, we may consider to have been favourable to Steevens; or of the earlier editors, who, according to Theobald, printed the word in Italics as a proper name.
So the matter remained; most readers, as well as critics, being, I believe, of opinion that a river was intended, until MR. SINGER, in the 46th No. of "NOTES AND QUERIES," revived the notion that some kind of drink was signified.
10. Let us now consider what testimonies are advanced by the various critics on behalf of each of these opinions. That eysell (the 4to., 1604, reads esil, and the folio esile) was used as synonymous with one kind of drink, viz. vinegar, is apparent from the following authorities. Malone observes that it occurs in Chaucer and Skelton, and also in Sir Thomas More, Works, p. 21., edit. 1557
—— "with sowre pocion
If thou paine thy taste, remember therewithal
That Christ for thee tasted eisil and gall."
He also remarks that it is found in Minsheu's Dictionary, 1617, and in Coles's Latin Dictionary, 1679.
Shakspeare himself, as Farmer was the first to point out, has, in his 111th Sonnet,
—— "like a willing patient I will drink