he endeavored even to get over the drink up, which stood much in
his way. But after all, the challenge to drink vinegar, in such
a rant, is so inconsistent, and even ridiculous, that we must
decide for the river, whether its name be exactly found or not.
To drink up a river, and eat a crocodile with his impenetrable
scales, are two things equally impossible. There is no kind of
comparison between the others."

I must confess that I was formerly led to adopt this view of the
passage, but on more mature investigation I find that it is wrong. I see
no necessary connection between eating a crocodile and drinking up
eysell; and to drink up was commonly used for simply to drink. Eisell or
Eysell certainly signified vinegar, but it was certainly not used in
that sense by Shakspeare, who may in this instance be his own expositor;
the word occurring again in his CXIth sonnet.

"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 that it was a bitter potion which it was a penance to drink.
Thus also in the Troy Book of Lydgate:

"Of bitter eysell, and of eager wine."

Now numerous passages in our old dramatic writers show that it was a
fashion with the gallants of the time to do some extravagant feat, as a
proof of their love, in honour of their mistresses; and among others the
swallowing some nauseous potion was one of the most frequent; but