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Walpole, Horace, 4th earl of Orford

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From: A Dictionary of British History
Date: 20040101
Author:JOHN CANNON

Walpole, Horace, 4th earl of Orford (1717–97). The youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole , Horace Walpole became the most gifted letter‐writer in English history. When he entered Parliament in 1741 his father's long administration was tottering to its fall. Though he remained in the Commons until 1768 he made no mark and his preferred role was that of observer. The places and pensions provided by his father afforded him a comfortable bachelor existence and he lavished great attention on the Gothic villa at Strawberry Hill (Twickenham) which he purchased in 1748. Much of ...

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