Private Correspondence of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford

Horatio Walpole,4th Earl of Orford (1717 â€" 1797), known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician n 1764, he anonymously published his Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, regarded as the first Gothic novel He also wrote extensively on art and published biographies of several British monarchs He was the youngest son (though perhaps not biologically) of the first British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole

This four volume set of his correspondence is bound in contemporary ¾ calf that is significantly scuffed, with spines beginning to split on three volumes Lower half of spine leather missing on vol 2 8vo; pp lx, 508 [2], 511; 507; 566 [2] But all volumes are till intact with all boards attached Publisher's advertisements at the back of two (1 and 4) volumes Modest foxing, primarily on titles and endpapers Would be very good overall but for the worn boards

Each volume has the armorial bookplate on the inside front board of Sir John Pringle Dalrymple, the 5tn Baronet of Hailes, Midlothian (d 1829)