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Samuel Butler

Posted by Bruce Kahl on March 28, 2001

In Reply to: Samuel Butler posted by Bruce Kahl on March 28, 2001

: : I have read that the first time the exact phrase "spare the rod and spoil the child" was used was in a poem where the lines were:
: : "Love is a boy, by poets styl'd,
: : Then spare the rod and spoil the child"
: : The problem is I can't place the poem either to title or author.

: Samuel Butler
: (1612-1680) born on Feb 14 English poet, satirist, painter, philosopher. He was famous for his mock epic "Hudibras," ridiculing the Puritans.

Your segment can be found in Part 2, Canto One of Hudibras.

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