Where did the phrase 'Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk' Originate?

Tabby Tom

Almost certainly in England, but it's hard to say when. The earliest instance with the words 'cry' and 'spilt' in the Oxford English Dictionary is from Swift's 'Polite Conversation', first published in 1738, the quotation being ''Tis folly to cry for spilt milk'. Swift's work is a humorous work that pokes fun at cliche-ridden talk, and the phrase must therefore have been well established by that time. The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs has 'No weeping for shed milk', quoted in a collection of proverbs by James Howell, published in 1638. Nov 08 01, 3:20 PM

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