I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell

"I Do Not Like Thee, Doctor Fell" is a short English epigram that became a nursery rhyme, with a well-documented origin story involving a mischievous student and his stern university dean.

The Historical Tom Brown

The verse is attributed to Tom Brown (1663–1704), an English satirist who composed it around 1680 while studying at Christ Church, Oxford University. The poem was first published in Brown's "Laconics: or, New Maxims of State and Conversation" in 1701.

Doctor John Fell

The subject of the epigram was John Fell (1625–1686), who was the Dean of Christ Church and later became the Bishop of Oxford. Fell was known for his strict discipline and his dedication to the university, though his stern manner made him unpopular with some students.

The Legend of Its Creation

According to a famous anecdote, Dean Fell caught Tom Brown engaged in some mischief and threatened him with expulsion from the university. As a condition to avoid punishment, Fell challenged Brown to produce an extemporaneous translation of a Latin epigram by the Roman poet Martial.

Martial's original lines (Epigrammata 1.32) read:

"Non amo te, Sabidi, nec possum dicere quare; Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te."

This translates to: "I do not love you, Sabidius, nor can I say why; this alone I can say: I do not love you."

Brown's Clever Response

Brown's witty English rendition substituted Dean Fell's name:

"I do not like thee, Doctor Fell, The reason why, I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not like thee, Doctor Fell."

This clever adaptation reportedly satisfied the challenge and allowed Brown to avoid expulsion—while simultaneously immortalizing his disdain for the strict dean in literary history.

From Epigram to Nursery Rhyme

The verse's cleverness, brevity, and memorable rhyme scheme led to its enduring popularity. By the early 20th century, it had entered English folklore as a traditional nursery rhyme. It has also been recognized as a proverb expressing inexplicable dislike for someone—a "Doctor Fell feeling."

Cultural Legacy

The phrase "Doctor Fell" has become synonymous with an irrational or unexplainable antipathy toward someone. The rhyme has been referenced in literature, psychology, and popular culture as shorthand for feelings of dislike that cannot be logically explained.