In article ,
Malcolm wrote:

Actually, I think that it is older than ITMA, but its widespread
popularity dates from ITMA. That is certainly true for some of
the other phrases, such as "I don't mind if I do" and "Can I do you
now, Sir?"

I managed to get one change into the OED where they had fallen
into the trap of assigning a phrase to the author who popularised
it and not the originator. "To damn with faint praise" is actually
Wycherley, and Pope picked it up. But I suspect that the vast
majority of attributions are to the populariser and not the actual
originator, based on what I have seen happen in the past half
century.

I'm sure you're right, and, while it might matter to the OED - and well
done on the correction, that's a nice one - the rest of us are happy to
attribute the popularisers!

Thanks. In general, I agree that it makes no difference except to
historians, but it does sometimes matter when the populariser
attempts to copyright or trademark it :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.