: It has been some time since I read "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields," but i seem to remember Isildur's oldest son suggesting that he use the Ring to drive off the Orcs, but Isildur stating that he did not have the strength. He then resolved to give the Ring into the keeping of Elrond. If my memory is correct, (and it very well may not be-let me know,) it would imply that Isildur maintained enough wisdom and strength of will to resist the pull of the Ring beyond ill-advisedly keeping it. Presumably if he had survived the crossing he would have changed his mind about relinquishing it to Elrond and eventually succumbed to its lure.

I don't have the passage in front of me, but my memory agrees with yours -- Isildur said some rather remarkable things to one of his sons (the one said to most resemble Aragorn), basically (1) That he had not yet learned how to use the ring, and (2) That he now realized that the ring should have been destroyed. I think that it was clearly his plan at this moment to try to have the ring destroyed (I believe you're right as well that he specifically mentioned giving the ring over to another keeper).

Now, whether he could actually have done that or not remains an open question. Even to say this after having possessed the ring for a couple of years is impressive, I think. But what would have happened as he approached Rivendell? Would he have maintained a Faramir-like cool (Faramir, who never held the ring at all)? Or would he have succumbed to the temptation that kept Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel all from taking it?

Both answers are interesting (and purely speculative).