Two Visions

“While the word ‘folly’ is taken to be a derivation of ‘foolishness’, a study of its etymology and history reveals some other underlying meanings. its direct ancestor is the old French ‘folie’, ‘fol’ meaning foolishness, and itself deriving from the Latin ‘follis’, meaning a ball, balloon or bellows … ” Follies, a National Trust Guide, Gwyn Headley and Wim Meulenkamp, published by Jonathan Cape.

“But cf. Fr. ‘folie’, ‘delight’, ‘favourite abode’.” The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, Oxford University Press, Third Edition.