<P> The road to hell is paved with good intentions is a proverb or aphorism . An alternative form is "Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works". </P> <P> The saying is thought to have originated with Saint Bernard of Clairvaux who wrote (c. 1150), "L'enfer est plein de bonnes volontés ou désirs" (hell is full of good wishes or desires). An earlier saying occurs in Virgil's Aeneid: "facilis descensus Averno (the descent to hell is easy)". </P> <P> A common interpretation of the saying is that wrongdoings or evil actions are often masked by good intentions; or even that good intentions, when acted upon, may have unintended consequences . A simple example is the introduction of an invasive species, like the Asian carp, which has become a nuisance due to unexpected proliferation and behaviour . </P>

Where does the saying the road to hell is paved with good intentions come from