Earlier forms of the proverb omit the first three words. Cf. [St. Francis de sales, Letter lxxiv.] le proverbe tiré de notre saint Bernard, ‘L'enfer est plein de bonnes volontés ou désirs’, the proverb taken from our St. Bernard, ‘Hell is full of good intentions or desires.’
Hell is full of good desires.
[1574 E. Hellowes tr. Guevara's Epistles 205]
It is a saying among Divines, that Hell is full of good Intentions, and Meanings.
[1654 R. Whitlock Observations on Manners of English 203]
It is a true saying,‘Hell is paved with good intentions’.
[1736 Wesley Journal 10 July (1910) I. i. 246]
I shall have nothing to hand in, except intentions,—what they say the road to the wrong place is paved with.
[1847 J. A. Froude Shadows of Clouds ix.]
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
[1855 H. G. Bohn Hand-Book of Proverbs 514]
‘I'm sorry if I made things a mess with you and Yolanda. But I'll have you know that I had nothing but good intentions.’ ‘They say, “The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.”‥and you keep making potholes.’
[2001 Washington Times 5 Dec. D8 (Herb & Jamaal comic strip)]
Related to: action and inaction; intentions
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
