Notes from Wikiquote
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." | 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