Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), was an English writer, art historian, antiquarian, and politician, best known as the author of the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), and as a prolific letter writer whose correspondence provides an invaluable insight into the art, culture, and politics of eighteenth-century England. Walpole was the son of Prime Minister Robert Walpole, and his literary, architectural, and artistic contributions influenced the Gothic revival movement in England.^[1][2]

Born Horatio Walpole on 24 September 1717 in London, he was the youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first de facto Prime Minister, and Catherine Shorter. Walpole attended Eton College, where he formed close friendships with Thomas Gray, poet of Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. He continued his education at King's College, Cambridge, but he left without taking a degree.^[3]

Following in his father’s footsteps, Walpole pursued a career in politics, serving as a Member of Parliament for Callington, Castle Rising, King's Lynn, and the borough of Totnes. Although not particularly ambitious in politics, Walpole was active in social circles and corresponded with influential figures, often offering his satirical and perceptive insights on the events and personalities of his time.