Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole (1717–1797) was an English writer, art historian, antiquarian, and Whig politician, best known for writing The Castle of Otranto (1764), the first Gothic novel in English. He was also a prolific letter writer and a collector who built the Gothic Revival mansion Strawberry Hill. His extensive correspondence offers insight into the history, manners, and tastes of his era.