“Hell is paved with good intentions.”

— Samuel Johnson

April 14, 1775 Malone added a footnote indicating this is a "proverbial sentence", quoting an earlier 1651 source. At least two other sources appear prior to Johnson. John Ray, in 1670, cited as a proverb, "Hell is paved with good intentions." Even earlier than that, it has been attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), as "Hell is full of good intentions or desires." [alt.quotations, Earlier Attributions, Wilson, Robert, UseNet, 2009-01-06] Note that "The road to Hell…" is not part of the quotation. The Samuel Johnson web site suggests this entry is dated 16 April, but it appears to be part of the previous entry. Samuel Johnson web site http://www.samueljohnson.com/road.html Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), Vol II Source: The Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. Vol 2

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Samuel Johnson362

English writer 1709–1784

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