The Paradise of Fools

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

As fools or idiots are not responsible for their works, the old School- men held that they are not punished in purga- tory and cannot be received into heaven, so they go to a special "Paradise of Fools.

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 Paradise of Fools” mean?

As fools or idiots are not responsible for their works, the old School- men held that they are not punished in purga- tory and cannot be received into heaven, so they go to a special "Paradise of Fools.

Is “The Paradise of Fools” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.