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This question is raised so frequently on the Women's Studies List (WMST-L), that the list owner has posted the discussion on the web as an FAQ: http://research.umbc.edu/~korenman/wmst/ruleofthumb.html The notion is certainly around in the 18th century (Blackstone's Commentaries 1775) and perhaps earlier. You will find on that page references to legal cases and relevant articles. Amelia Carr Allegheny College [log in to unmask] At 04:57 PM 2/15/00 -0500, you wrote: >You've all heard of the rule of thumb, i.e., mustn't beat your wife with a >stick larger in circumference than your thumb. Was this a legal rule or an >urban myth? Some years ago this question was debated at some length (I >believe on a history discussion list), and, as far as I could tell, no >consensus was reached by the debaters. I was and am skeptical, but others >seem sure that such a rule was operative in early modern England. > >Yours, Bill Godshalk > > >********************************************** >* W. L. Godshalk * >* Professor, Department of English * >* University of Cincinnati * >* Cincinnati OH 45221-0069 * Stellar Disorder >* [log in to unmask] * >* > * >**********************************************