the road to hell is paved with good intentions

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 volontes ou desirs’, the proverb taken from our St. Bernard, ‘Hell is full of good intentions or desires.’

1574 E. HELLOWES tr. Guevara’s Epistles 205 Hell is full of good desires.

1654 R. WHITLOCK Observations on Manners of English 203 It is a saying among Divines, that Hell is full of good Intentions, and Meanings.

1736 WESLEY Journal 10 July (1910) I. I. 246 It is a true saying, ‘Hell is paved with good intentions’.

1847 J. A. FROUDE Shadows of Clouds ix. I shall have nothing to hand in, except intentions,—what they say the road to the wrong place is paved with.

1855 H. G. BOHN Hand-Book of Proverbs 514 The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

2001 Washington Times 5 Dec. D8 (Herb & Jamaal comic strip) ‘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.’