The Earthly Paradise
Preserved but no longer current.
In mediaeval times it was a popular belief that paradise, a land — or island — where everything was beautiful and restful, and where death and decay were un- known, still existed somewhere on earth and was to be found for the searching.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Earthly Paradise” mean?
In mediaeval times it was a popular belief that paradise, a land — or island — where everything was beautiful and restful, and where death and decay were un- known, still existed somewhere on earth and was to be found for the searching.
Is “The Earthly Paradise” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.