The proverb “absence makes the heart grow fonder” does not have a single, definitively known original author, but it grew out of earlier poetic expressions about love and distance.

Who likely said it first?

  • The exact wording “absence makes the heart grow fonder” is considered a proverb , not a credited line from one clearly identified writer.
  • Some sources point to an anonymous poem printed in 1602 in Francis Davison’s anthology Poetical Rhapsody as the first time a very close version of the phrase appeared in print.
  • Earlier Latin poetry, especially from the Roman poet Sextus Propertius , expressed the same idea in different words, such as lines about love’s tide growing stronger for absent lovers.

How the phrase evolved

  • Over the 17th century, writers like Thomas Overbury (“Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it”, 1616) and James Howell (“Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweetens it”, 1650) used very similar sayings that helped solidify the sentiment in English.
  • The modern, polished form “absence makes the heart grow fonder” became widespread in the 19th century and has since been treated as a traditional proverb whose precise origin is unknown , rather than a quote with a single, verifiable author.

Bottom line: if someone asks “who said ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’?”, the most accurate answer is that it is a traditional proverb of uncertain authorship , with roots traceable to ancient poets like Sextus Propertius and early modern English writers, rather than a single named originator.

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