Couldst thou sip, and sip it up:"
that is, "couldst thou go on sipping till thou hast sipped up, or entirely exhausted, the whole definite quantity in the cup."
12. But MR. SINGER in 1850, differing so much from Mr. Singer in 1826 (who thought that a river was signified), supposes that though a sort of drink is intended, it is not vinegar, but wormwood-wine. To this purpose he cites the lines of Shakspeare's 111th Sonnet, which we have already transcribed:
"Whilst like a willing patient I will drink
Potions of eysell 'gainst my strong infection;
No bitterness that I will bitter think
Nor double penance to correct correction."
"Here we see," he observes, "that it was a bitter potion which it was a penance to drink." This does not seem to be clearly apparent from the passage for it is not absolutely certain that the bitterness in the third line refers to the eysell in the second. But he adds another quotation from the Troy Boke of Lydgate:
"Of bitter eysell, and of eager wine."
After which he subjoins: