# "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 1999, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/8380 "1999-09-26T00:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 1999, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/8380/1 "1999-09-26T00:00:00Z")
This is one of my favourite quotes, but I don’t have a source. Do the TM know where it’s from? Thanks! -Pix ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 1999, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/8380/2 "1999-09-26T00:41:00Z")
From Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Hell is paved with good intentions. This occurs as a saying of Dr. Johnson (Boswell’s life, entry for 16 April 1775), but is a good deal older. It is given by George Herbert (Jacula Prudentum, 1633) as “Hell is full of good meanings and wishings.” The usual form today is, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” * * * [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 1999, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions/8380/3 "1999-09-26T03:20:00Z")
Thank you much! -Pix