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    The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents
    The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents
    The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents
    Ebook145 pages2 hours

    The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents

    By Horace Walpole

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    About this ebook

    This novel is the story of Conrad, son of Manfred of the house of Otranto. This thrilling tale abounds in adventure, suspense, and supernatural occurrences. Crammed with invention, entertainment, terror, and pathos, the novel was an immediate success and Walpole's own favorite among his numerous works. This work initiated a firestorm in this literary genre and was easily one of the most popular novels published in the late 18th and early 19th century.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWilder Publications, Inc.
    Release dateJun 5, 2015
    ISBN9781633849914
    The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents

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    Reviews for The Castle of Otranto

    3/5

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    • 2/5
      From BadelyngeManfred is having a really bad day. No really, he's having a really, really bad day. It all starts with his son being crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls out of the sky. And his day is going to get much worse.The Castle of Otranto was written in 1764 by Horace Walpole. So many times I have heard the name of this book being dropped by literary historians citing its place as the forerunner to the gothic novel, works that would include author's such as Poe, Stoker and Du Maurier. In fact the book is little more than fluff that just happens to contain a castle and a penchant for the romantic, the unlikely and the plain ridiculous.
    • 3/5
      I found The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole to be an odd yet entertaining story about a tyrant knight called Manfred, Prince of Otranto, and his family. Considered to be the father of Gothic romance fiction this fantasy is set in the middle ages, and is peopled by characters experiencing strong emotional and psychological distress. The story develops around a supernatural event that occurs at the beginning of the story and causes the death of Manfred’s only son and heir. Unfolding in a castle that comes with underground passages, sealed vaults, and trap doors, my favorite part of the story was when the young Princess Isabella, fearful for her virtue, is running away from Manfred through the dark and haunted castle.In a melodramatic yet playful manner the story has the evil usurper, the noble yet humble rightful heir, two virtuous princesses and a host of other characters running around the Castle of Otranto confronting vanishing giants, pieces of enormous armour, moving artwork and each other.This deceptively simple story deals with issues of inheritance, power and morality and religion. It is important to remember that this novel is the first of its kind and the plot, which appears overworked and familiar today is, indeed, the first of it’s kind and did cause quite a sensation in it’s day.
    • 3/5
      We are all reptiles, miserable, sinful creatures. It is piety alone that can distinguish us from the dust whence we sprung, and whither we must return.

      The Goodreads reviews of this pioneer work are a caravan of groans; how sophisticated we've since become with our forensics and our shape-shfting (very-meta) protagonists. I may shudder and say, whoa, and allow the blush to fade from our consternation. Otranto is ridiculous, sure, but it is damn charming. Anyone ever encountered a contrivance or laughable twist in the Bard or even Nabokov: the car which killed Charlotte Haze dented our credulity, didn't it? I say onward with the GIANT HELMET! What lurks beneath is but prophesy and paternity. Walpole's book offers little in terms of fear. The pacing and revelation are no more haunting than a production of Hamlet. The notion of it being a "found" medieval text gives it sufficient distance to unnerve our sense of legacy.
    • 3/5
      Taken in the context of when it was written, and the fact that it was new to the genre, I can advise that it’s wortwhile reading it. I found it entertaining overall even if it was so,ewhat difficult because of the way dialogue is embeshed within paragraphs- one has to pay continuous attention to follow who is saying what.However, I could not but find many of the passages hilarious, partly because of the extreme situations kn which the characters are placed.
    • 3/5
      When I first opened this book I was confronted by page after page of almost continuous text with virtually no paragraph breaks and no quotation marks or any way of marking when one person stops speaking and the next begins. This made it difficult to follow the dialogue but otherwise the story is easy enough to understand considering it was published in 1764.Manfred, the Prince of Otranto, has arranged a marriage between his fifteen year old son Conrad and the princess Isabella. However, on the day of the wedding Conrad is found crushed to death in the courtyard beneath an enormous black feathered helmet which appears to have fallen from the sky. As his son is obviously now in no position to go ahead with the wedding, Manfred decides to marry Isabella himself...but Isabella has other ideas. Cue a never-ending chain of misunderstandings, coincidences and mayhem.The Castle of Otranto is historically important because it was the first gothic novel - complete with haunted castles, underground tunnels, damsels in distress, knights, ghosts and paintings that move - but don't expect a piece of great literature. In places the plot is so ridiculous and the writing so melodramatic that it's actually hilarious.The Castle of Otranto is funny and entertaining – and very short – but I can't imagine ever wanting to read it again. For a better introduction to gothic fiction I would recommend The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, which is a longer book but much better written.
    • 2/5
      What a silly book! My nose hurts from snorting. At first I was thinking "This would be great filmed by Ed Wood." but then I decided it would be more suited to a staging by the Monty Python troupe. It even features a giant foot at one point!
    • 1/5
      To put it blunt, this book is rubbish, and I must admit that my English lecturer, when he spoke on this book, pretty much said just as much. In fact the only reason the English Department included this book on the reading list is because it has the distinction of being the first gothic horror book written. Okay, maybe it is the first, but it really does very little to make it stand out from among all the other books of much higher quality that were written afterwards. Hey, they even had an essay question on it.Anyway, this is a classic example of a child of a very famous person using his father's influence to get rubbish published. I suspect that it happens quite a lot these days as well (Jessica Rudd), though I must admit that even being able to pull strings to get books published does not necessarily mean that anybody will actually read, and then recommend, the book (though that seems not to be the case with Campaign Ruby).You might actually be wondering who Horace Walpole is and what is father did to make him so famous. To be quite honest with you, until I had gone to the lecture on this book, I had never heard of Horace Walpole, or any other Walpoles that he might have been related to, however, if you were living in England in 1764, you certainly would have heard of Robert Walpole, namely because he was, next to the king, the most powerful man in England. In fact, Robert Walpole holds the record for being the longest serving British Prime Minister ever (twenty-one years in total). These days, ten years as Prime Minister is an effort, however unless the country has descended into a one party state, it is highly unlikely, in today's political climate, that anybody could last twenty years (though Robert Menzies did last 16 and Franklin Delanore Roosevelt lasted 13).It was not so much different back then either, though the voting franchise was severely restricted and cabinet appointments were made by the king. Getting elected into parliament, especially if you were a member of the aristocratic class, was not just easy, it was a right. There was no universal franchise, or proper electoral boundaries. In fact, one could live in an electorate (known as a borough) where the only person who could vote was you, so whenever an election came along you would vote for yourself (and why not) and you would automatically get elected. However, politicians didn't get paid back then, which also made it difficult for the lower classes to become politicians).I seem to have written nothing about the book, but then again, it is such rubbish that I personally really don't want to write anything about it. As for the concept of Gothic Horror, in a way it doesn't actually strike any chords in my memory. I guess I do not see any distinction with Gothic Horror. Hell, I can't even define it (not that I really want to) or even has the desire to jump over to Wikipedia to see if they say anything about it. I guess I am simply not interested in determining any definition for the genre. Okay, there are other 'Gothic Horror' books on my read list, however I would probably just put them more into horror than Gothic Horror. If anything, though, thinking over the books and films we explored, I suspect Gothic Horror deals more with concepts of horror (much like what I wrote about in Carrie) rather than a simple slasher flick. Silence of the Lambs is a horror (and a very good horror at that) but it is not a slasher flick. Far from it. However, this book is horror in name only. If I really wanted to categorise it, I would probably put it into a category called rubbish, however, that is what the rating is for.
    • 3/5
      The Castle of Otranto is one of those must-read noteworthy books, but heck if I know why. It is listed as the first gothic novel and has those elements of romance and horror. But, I must say, gothic novels have come a looong way. This had many elements that we stereotype and mock - the fair maiden who above all else, must maintain her virtue and the evil villain whose goal in life is to make sure she fails. Ok reading for the historical sense, but not outstanding.
    • 4/5
      One of my reading goals for 2012 was to read through a few "classics" that I'd never read before. It hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped it would (those darn publishers just keep churning out new books!) but I've been able to enjoy at least of few of the titles I wanted to try. One of those was Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, considered the first gothic novel (Walpole's only novel, it was published in 1764).While to a modern reader some of the gothic tropes (scary castles, mysterious prophecies, portentously-timed thunderclaps, long-lost family members, mistaken identities, religious prejudices, unexplained bumps in the night, &c.) come across as more silly than scary, to readers unfamiliar with such motifs, this must have been quite an unconventional book indeed. It's easy to see how later authors (Radcliffe, Lewis, Brown) were able to develop the stories more thoroughly and create even more disturbing imagery and plot twists. The OUP edition I read contained a very useful introduction by E.J. Clery, contextualizing the work and examining some of the contemporary reaction to it.
    • 4/5
      It is always difficult to review a book that is considered a classic. On the one hand, you have to discuss how the book was received in its time, what it added to the literature of its day. On the other, you have to balance that with its effect on the modern reader.The fact that "The Caste of Otranto" was successful in its day is undisputed. It is typically held up as the genesis of the Gothic novel, with its dual focus on the supernatural and the effect of the supernatural on human emotion. The realistic, introspective character study is juxtaposed with things that are unrealistic and unbelievable. Although fantastical elements certainly existed before this time in literature, they had not been tackled with a modern sensibility of character. To this book, we owe not only the Gothic stories of Edgar Allen Poe, the Bronte sisters, etc, but also the entirety of modern fantasy.However, as a novel for the modern reader, it fails to grip. It is far too rooted in its past to be much more than a footnote of literature for casual, modern fans of Gothic stories. Characters are shallow by comparison to its descendents The supernatural elements run from mild to goofy to a reader already accustomed to bleeding statues or paintings that come to life.Recommendation: If you approach it as an early example of the genre, you will enjoy it. As a standalone novel, it doesn't have the staying power.
    • 5/5
      [Northanger Abbey]
      I think this is my favorite of Austen's works. It lacks any of the great romances that make her so popular amongst filmmakers and book clubs, but it shows off her greatest asset: her intelligence. Austen is, of course, famous for her wit and keen observations of social mores, and those are also put on display in Northanger Abbey. But this is one of the all-time great satires, demonstrating that she was capable of more than merely reproducing the world around her.

      This is the book that makes me wonder what Austen would be like if she was alive today. Time and critical reception have pigeon-holed her; she's recognized as a great talent, but I think she's often dismissed as well. She's about more than just female empowerment and laughing at the way people acted in the 1800s. Austen's books are all about how people communicate, and it's still relevant today.
    • 3/5
      In The Castle of Otranto, Manfred is determined to keep his family in power, which means he needs an heir. When his engaged son dies by being crushed by a statue's helmet, Manfred resolves to marry his son's betrothed, Isabella, and produce heirs so that his family can live on. Understandably, Isabella doesn't want to marry the man who was going to be her father-in-law and leads Manfred on a merry chase throughout the castle and its surrounding area.If you take this book seriously, I'm not sure how enjoyable it is. The supernatural elements are a bit out of sync with the plot itself -- they aren't integrated well into the whole story. The characters are more like caricatures, and the end is quickly tied up into a haphazard bow. I know that if I looked at it as a serious piece of fiction, I would have hated it. Luckily, I found it all a bit funny. Yes, it's an important novel since it's considered the first Gothic novel, and yes, it's a "classic" and deals with themes like family, power, gender stereotypes, etc. But that doesn't mean you have to take the plot seriously, and I certainly didn't.It all started with Conrad being mysteriously crushed by a statue's helmet. Then, bits and pieces of the statue started appearing in the castle for no apparent reason. I just couldn't take it seriously. If you like the overly dramatic, bit of fun Gothic story, I think you'd really enjoy this. It has crazy twists and turns (you can definitely see a Shakespearean influence in this), and without including much character building, internal dialogue or much character self-reflection, the story moves along at a brisk pace. The writing may be a bit hard to understand (it is an eighteenth-century book, after all, and the editors have kept all the weird commas, lack of paragraph breaks, and misspellings), but if you read period lit, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. All in all, fun if you want to see what supposedly started the whole Gothic thing, but not something I'd want to enjoy a glass of wine and relax with.
    • 4/5
      Described as "one of the first and greatest of Gothic novels." I'm not so sure about the "greatest" part, but it was a good read. On the death of his son, medieval prince Manfred decides to divorce his wife and marry his son's betrothed, Isabella. However, a young peasant intervenes, and when all the surprises and mistaken identities are revealed, the ending, though not a happy one, puts everything in its place. Except, of course, the statue in the church...
    • 4/5
      I read this as part of research for an essay on The Gothic Novel, so I went back to this as the original example of the genre. I wasn't disappointed: supernatural elements, love triangles, masterful villain, meek heroines and good-looking yet virtuous hero. Truly sensational for its time. Well done, Horace.
    • 4/5
      A rather short story and the only one published by Horace Walpole tell the story of Manfred, prince of Otranto and the death of his son and only heir Conrad. The castle with its vaults and secret passages make for the setting of a gothic novel. The setting is chivalric Middle Ages and deals with cruelty and tyranny as well as usurping of the castle and title of prince. It’s a very quick and easy read for those working on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.
    • 2/5
      Let me put it this way...it's decent if you consider the historical aspect of the book (first horror novel, ect.) Otherwise, it's hilariously bad.
    • 3/5
      The book that started the taste for gothic novels in England and later Germany and France, this is by no means the best of the genre but holds pride of place. Replete with ghosts, set in the heart of the dark ages and within the walls of a mood-setting castle, it's no surprise this tale sparked the imaginations of its readers and continues to cast its spell today.
    • 5/5
      I'm reading this book right now and it is so cool. Supposedly the first gothic novel ever written. Secret passages, haunted castle, strange happenings, and a damsel in distress. One of the least boring classics I've ever read.
    • 5/5
      Said by some (like W. S. Lewis) to be the first Gothic novel in English literature, this 1674 novel offers every element now considered to be characteristic of Gothic horror. Here, Walpole set the standard for supernatural armour, furtive friars, family curses, and things that go bump in the castle vaults!
    • 2/5
      The evil prince Manfred plots to marry his deceased son's fiancé but is thwarted. This is the ancestor of all gothic novels. Poor prose, but it does move at a steady pace for the 18th Century. Best read for a course requirement. I have no idea of which edition I read in 1971, but the information relates to the current Oxford paperback edition.
    • 3/5
      Considered a gothic masterpiece, I found this to be a clever little novel of a crumbling monarchy in it's final days. You can certainly see how it influenced later works of both fantasy and more conventional literature. A number of convoluted machinations, some patent villainy, lots of life-changing revelations, and just a few hints of the supernatural. I honestly could have done with a little less of the domestic implosion of the household and a little more of the fantastical elements, but it is what it is. My one major complaint is the dialogue is not formatted in the modern style of quotation marks and individually indented paragraphs, separated only by commas, periods and dashes, somewhat inconsistently too, making it somewhat tricky to read, though I managed well enough once I found the conversational rhythm in each passage.
    • 2/5
      I tried, just could not make hide nor hair of it. I got the jist of the story, but either I just found it simply too boring or missed a crucial element somewhere along the line.Of course I can see how gothic after was inspired by this, but I was expecting something a bit different.I loved the settings but just did not connect with any of the characters.
    • 4/5
      The original gothic novel, this reads preposterously if you don't know its pedigree. Gigantic elements of armour appear in the story without warning (though they are warnings in themselves), crushing the hapless and frightening other characters who respond as anyone might when faced with such inexplicable events: horror, shock, dismay, fear. It's the meshing of these that brought this novel lasting acclaim, however ridiculous its events now appear to a modern reader. I'm afraid I laughed in a few places I wasn't supposed to, but with a better understanding came a greater appreciation. It's a comfortably short read, and at least an interesting curiosity.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to read a gothic novel to help me better understand what Jane Austen is satirizing in Northanger Abbey. I picked The Castle of Otranto purely because it was the shortest.The book (published in 1764) starts with an introduction from Horace Walpole explaining that this is an English translation he has made of an Italian manuscript dating from 1529; however the introduction makes clear that it's possible that the original work was in fact written much earlier. Walpole also states his belief that the story he has translated is based on truth and events that must have really taken place In fact, none of this was true; it was written in English by Horace Walpole in the 18th century, but at the time it was considered much more worthwhile to read a true story than a fictional one. Interestingly the wikipedia article on the book seems to indicate that the work was critically quite well received until Walpole 'fessed up and admitted he'd made up the whole thing when all the critics promptly decided that it was worthless fluff.Once you're past the introduction this gothic tale kicks off with someone being crushed to death by a giant helmet:"he beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being, and shaded with a proportionate quantity of black feathers"Right.All the other gothic staples are included of course; innocent virgins, noble knights, princes in disguise, incest, duels, gloomy castles and ghosts. It was difficult for me to take this book as seriously as I assume the original 18th century readers took it. Most of the scenes which are presumably supposed to be scary seem ridiculous to a modern reader (death by giant helmet being the prime example). There are also a lot of scenes which I think may have been intended to be comic as the introduction notes that 'some persons may perhaps think the characters of the domestics too little serious for the general cast of the story'; there were some wonderful scenes very reminiscent of Shakespeare where the domestics were constantly interrupting each other or wandering from the point to the infuriation of their lords and ladies.Ultimately, this was a short, enjoyable if somewhat strange read. Reading the free kindle version I definitely felt the lack of any explanatory notes to help me put this work in context but I think it was worth reading even so as it's given me a better understanding of Northanger Abbey.
    • 3/5
      This book must be read in the knowledge that it is more than 250 years old. It is the original Gothic fiction. The story is somewhat gripping, although the dialogue is not punctuated as we would now expect, making you think twice about who is saying what at times. The spectre of the giant knight seems to fade away at the end, almost like the let-down from bad B-grade special effects but in literary form. I felt like every character actually liked to ball their eyes out every few minutes, too. But, taken in context, it is an enjoyable read. Only don't read the introduction and avoid checking the notes at every instance. Like many classic, the introduction, prefaces and notes are now longer than the story itself. It had to be read, and now it is done. If you are a fan of Gothic, then this is like what Evil Dead is to modern horror, or what Sherlock Holmes is to the modern detective story.
    • 3/5
      Crazy story about a giant knights parts showing up in a cursed castle.
    • 5/5
      This is a gem of an early (1764) Gothic novel. There are some moments of genuine horror and a tense drive to the plot. Great stuff and the ending is very downbeat.
    • 5/5
      The last third of this novel just blew me away. In it, all of the main characters kept turning up in unexpected places doing and saying unexpected things with unexpected results until an ancient prophesy was fulfilled. That part of the book alone was jaw-dropping!
    • 3/5
      Interesting as part of English literary history, but not much else. Manfred is the usurper of Otranto. His son is killed by a huge helmet that falls on him--God definitely giving Manfred a hint. But Manfred isn't listening. He decides he needs a new wife to give him a new son, and thereby sets in action his own downfall. Surprisingly, he lives, though he does (along the way) murder his daughter. The rightful heir of Otranto takes possession. All ends . . . not quite happily . . . but things are set to right.
    • 4/5
      The original Gothic novel sets a standard of melodrama that soap operas would be proud to follow. And I say that in a good way. With hidden sons, love triangles, returning from the dead and ghosts and giants abounding, this quick read is good for a glimpse into what shaped the Gothic era of writing. Not wanting to say too much about the plot, since the story is only 92 pages long, I'll try to summarize it the best I can. Manfred, the current inhabitant of Otranto, is living according to a legacy that the true owner will come and take it from him. In an effort to prevent that, he decides that he must align himself with the rival family by marriage. Of course, nothing goes as planned.If you're interested in Gothic literature, why not read the source? It's quick, it's easy, and it's bound to entertain you.

    Book preview

    The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole

    The Castle of Otranto

    by Horace Walpole

    ©2015 SMK Books

    All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except for brief quotations for review purposes only.

    SMK Books

    PO Box 632

    Floyd, VA 24091-0632

    ISBN 13: 978-1-63384-991-4

    Table of Contents

    Preface to the First Edition.

    Sonnet to the Right Honourable Lady Mary Coke.

    Chapter I.

    Chapter II.

    Chapter III.

    Chapter IV.

    Chapter V.

    Preface to the First Edition.

    The following work was found in the library of an ancient Catholic family in the north of England. It was printed at Naples, in the black letter, in the year 1529. How much sooner it was written does not appear. The principal incidents are such as were believed in the darkest ages of Christianity; but the language and conduct have nothing that savours of barbarism. The style is the purest Italian.

    If the story was written near the time when it is supposed to have happened, it must have been between 1095, the era of the first Crusade, and 1243, the date of the last, or not long afterwards. There is no other circumstance in the work that can lead us to guess at the period in which the scene is laid: the names of the actors are evidently fictitious, and probably disguised on purpose: yet the Spanish names of the domestics seem to indicate that this work was not composed until the establishment of the Arragonian Kings in Naples had made Spanish appellations familiar in that country. The beauty of the diction, and the zeal of the author (moderated, however, by singular judgment) concur to make me think that the date of the composition was little antecedent to that of the impression. Letters were then in their most flourishing state in Italy, and contributed to dispel the empire of superstition, at that time so forcibly attacked by the reformers. It is not unlikely that an artful priest might endeavour to turn their own arms on the innovators, and might avail himself of his abilities as an author to confirm the populace in their ancient errors and superstitions. If this was his view, he has certainly acted with signal address. Such a work as the following would enslave a hundred vulgar minds beyond half the books of controversy that have been written from the days of Luther to the present hour.

    This solution of the author’s motives is, however, offered as a mere conjecture. Whatever his views were, or whatever effects the execution of them might have, his work can only be laid before the public at present as a matter of entertainment. Even as such, some apology for it is necessary. Miracles, visions, necromancy, dreams, and other preternatural events, are exploded now even from romances. That was not the case when our author wrote; much less when the story itself is supposed to have happened. Belief in every kind of prodigy was so established in those dark ages, that an author would not be faithful to the manners of the times, who should omit all mention of them. He is not bound to believe them himself, but he must represent his actors as believing them.

    If this air of the miraculous is excused, the reader will find nothing else unworthy of his perusal. Allow the possibility of the facts, and all the actors comport themselves as persons would do in their situation. There is no bombast, no similes, flowers, digressions, or unnecessary descriptions. Everything tends directly to the catastrophe. Never is the reader’s attention relaxed. The rules of the drama are almost observed throughout the conduct of the piece. The characters are well drawn, and still better maintained. Terror, the author’s principal engine, prevents the story from ever languishing; and it is so often contrasted by pity, that the mind is kept up in a constant vicissitude of interesting passions.

    Some persons may perhaps think the characters of the domestics too little serious for the general cast of the story; but besides their opposition to the principal personages, the art of the author is very observable in his conduct of the subalterns. They discover many passages essential to the story, which could not be well brought to light but by their naivete and simplicity. In particular, the womanish terror and foibles of Bianca, in the last chapter, conduce essentially towards advancing the catastrophe.

    It is natural for a translator to be prejudiced in favour of his adopted work. More impartial readers may not be so much struck with the beauties of this piece as I was. Yet I am not blind to my author’s defects. I could wish he had grounded his plan on a more useful moral than this: that the sins of fathers are visited on their children to the third and fourth generation. I doubt whether, in his time, any more than at present, ambition curbed its appetite of dominion from the dread of so remote a punishment. And yet this moral is weakened by that less direct insinuation, that even such anathema may be diverted by devotion to St. Nicholas. Here the interest of the Monk plainly gets the better of the judgment of the author. However, with all its faults, I have no doubt but the English reader will be pleased with a sight of this performance. The piety that reigns throughout, the lessons of virtue that are inculcated, and the rigid purity of the sentiments, exempt this work from the censure to which romances are but too liable. Should it meet with the success I hope for, I may be encouraged to reprint the original Italian, though it will tend to depreciate my own labour. Our language falls far short of the charms of the Italian, both for variety and harmony. The latter is peculiarly excellent for simple narrative. It is difficult in English to relate without falling too low or rising too high; a fault obviously occasioned by the little care taken to speak pure language in common conversation. Every Italian or Frenchman of any rank piques himself on speaking his own tongue correctly and with choice. I cannot flatter myself with having done justice to my author in this respect: his style is as elegant as his conduct of the passions is masterly. It is a pity that he did not apply his talents to what they were evidently proper for–the theatre.

    I will detain the reader no longer, but to make one short remark. Though the machinery is invention, and the names of the actors imaginary, I cannot but believe that the groundwork of the story is founded on truth. The scene is undoubtedly laid in some real castle. The author seems frequently, without design, to describe particular parts. The chamber, says he, on the right hand; the door on the left hand; the distance from the chapel to Conrad’s apartment: these and other passages are strong presumptions that the author had some certain building in his eye. Curious persons, who have leisure to employ in such researches, may possibly discover in the Italian writers the foundation on which our author has built. If a catastrophe, at all resembling that which he describes, is believed to have given rise to this work, it will contribute to interest the reader, and will make the Castle of Otranto a still more moving story.

    Sonnet to the Right Honourable Lady Mary Coke.

    The gentle maid, whose hapless tale 

    These melancholy pages speak; 

    Say, gracious lady, shall she fail 

    To draw the tear adown thy cheek?

    No; never was thy pitying breast 

    Insensible to human woes; 

    Tender, tho’ firm, it melts distrest 

    For weaknesses it never knows.

    Oh! guard the marvels I relate 

    Of fell ambition scourg’d by fate, 

    From reason’s peevish blame. 

    Blest with thy smile, my dauntless sail 

    I dare expand to Fancy’s gale, 

    For sure thy smiles are Fame.

    H. W.

    Chapter I.

    Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda. Conrad, the son, was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition; yet he was the darling of his father, who never showed any symptoms of affection to Matilda. Manfred had contracted a marriage for his son with the Marquis of Vicenza’s daughter, Isabella; and she had already been delivered by her guardians into the hands of Manfred, that he might celebrate the wedding as soon as Conrad’s infirm state of health would permit.

    Manfred’s impatience for this ceremonial was remarked by his family and neighbours. The former, indeed, apprehending the severity of their Prince’s disposition, did not dare to utter their surmises on this precipitation. Hippolita, his wife, an amiable lady, did sometimes venture to represent the danger of marrying their only son so early, considering his great youth, and greater infirmities; but she never received any other answer than reflections on her own sterility, who had given him but one heir. His tenants and subjects were less cautious in their discourses. They attributed this hasty wedding to the Prince’s dread of seeing accomplished an ancient prophecy, which was said to have pronounced that the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it. It was difficult to make any sense of this prophecy; and still less easy to conceive what it had to do with the marriage in question. Yet these mysteries, or contradictions, did not make the populace adhere the less to their opinion.

    Young Conrad’s birthday was fixed for his espousals. The company was assembled in the chapel of the Castle, and everything ready for beginning the divine office, when Conrad himself was missing. Manfred, impatient of the least delay, and who had not observed his son retire, despatched one of his attendants to summon the young Prince. The servant, who had not stayed long enough to have crossed the court to Conrad’s apartment, came running back breathless, in a frantic manner, his eyes staring, and foaming at the month. He said nothing, but pointed to the court.

    The company were struck with terror and amazement. The Princess Hippolita, without knowing what was the matter, but anxious for her son, swooned away. Manfred, less apprehensive than enraged at the procrastination of the nuptials, and at the folly of his domestic, asked imperiously what was the matter? The fellow made no answer, but continued pointing towards the courtyard; and at last, after repeated questions put to him, cried out, Oh! the helmet! the helmet!

    In the meantime, some of the company had run

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