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
vinegar would hardly have been considered in this light; wormwood might.

In Thomas's Italian Dictionary, 1562, we have "Assentio, Eysell" and
Florio renders that word by vinegar. What is meant, however, is
Absinthites or Wormwood wine, a nauseously bitter medicament then much
in use; and this being evidently {242} the _bitter potion of Eysell_ in
the poet's sonnet, was certainly the nauseous draught proposed to be
taken by Hamlet among the other extravagant feats as tokens of love. The
following extracts will show that in the poet's age this nauseous bitter
potion was in frequent use medicinally.

"ABSINTHIUM, [Greek: apsinthion, aspinthion], Comicis, ab
insigni amarore quo bibeates illud aversantur."-_Junius,
Nomenclator ap. Nicot_.

"ABSINTHITES, _wormwood wine_.--_Hutton's Dict_.

"Hujus modi autem propomatum _hodie_ apud Christianos quoque
_maximus est et frequentissimus usus_, quibus potatores maximi
ceu proemiis quibusdam atque praeludiis utuntur, ad dirum illud
suum propinandi certamen. _Ae maxime quidem commune est proponia
absynthites_, quod vim habet stomachum corroborandi et
extenuandi, expellendique excrementa quae in eo continentur. Hoc
fere propomate potatores hodie maxime ab initio coenae utuntur
ceu pharmaco cum hesternae, atque praeteritae, tum futurae
ebrietatis, atque crapulae.... _amarissimae sunt potiones
medicatae_, quibus tandem stomachi cruditates immoderato cibo
potuque collectas expurgundi cause uti coguntur."--Stuckius,
_Antiquitatae Corviralium. Tiguri_, 1582, fol. 327.

Of the two latest editors, Mr. Knight decides for the _river_, and Mr.
Collier does not decide at all. Our northern neighbours think us almost
as much deficient in philological illustration as in enlarged
philosophical criticism on the poet, in which they claim to have shown
us the way.

S.W. SINGER.

Mickleham, Aug. 1850.

* * * * *

AUTHORS OF THE ROLLIAD.

To the list of subjects and authors in this unrivalled volume,
communicated by LORD BRAYBROOKE (Vol. ii., p. 194.), I would add that
No. XXI. _Probationary Odes_ (which is unmarked in the Sunning-hill Park
copy)