Значение слова WALPOLE в Литературной энциклопедии

WALPOLE

1) HORATIO or HORACE (1717-1797).-Miscellaneous writer, third _s._ of Sir Robert W., the great minister of George II., was _b._ in London, and _ed._ at Eton and Camb., after which he travelled on the Continent with Gray, the poet (_q.v._). His _f._ bestowed several lucrative appointments upon him, and he sat in Parliament for various places, but never took any prominent part in public business. By the death of his nephew, the 3rd Earl, he became in 1791 4th Earl of Orford. In 1747 he purchased the villa of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, the conversion of which into a small Gothic Castle and the collection of the works of art and curios with which it was decorated was the main interest of his subsequent life. His position in society gave him access to the best information on all contemporary subjects of interest, and he was as successful in collecting gossip as curios. He also erected a private press, from which various important works, including Gray's _Bard_, as well as his own writings, were issued. Among the latter are _Letter from Xo Ho to his Friend Lien Chi at Pekin_ (1757), _The Castle of Otranto_, the forerunner of the romances of terror of Mrs. Radcliffe and "Monk" Lewis, _The Mysterious Mother_ (1768), a tragedy of considerable power, _Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors_, _Anecdotes of Painting_, _Catalogue of Engravers_ (1763), _Essay on Modern Gardening_, _Memoirs of the Last Ten Years of George II._, _Memoirs of the Reign of George III._, and above all his _Letters_, 2700 in number, vivacious, interesting, and often brilliant. W. never _m._ 2) WALPOLE, SIR SPENCER (1839-1907).-Historian, _s._ of the Right Hon. Spencer W., Home Sec. in the three Derby Cabinets, belonged to the same family as Sir Robert W. _Ed._ at Eton he became a clerk in the War Office, and was thereafter successively Inspector of Fisheries 1867, Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man 1882, and Sec. to the Post Office, where he made a reputation as an efficient administrator, and was made K.C.B. in 1898. He _pub._ _History of England from_ 1815 in 6 vols., bringing the story down to 1858, and followed it up with _The History of Twenty-five Years_. He also wrote Lives of Spencer Percival, Prime Minister 1809-12, who was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons in the latter year, and who was his maternal grandfather, and of Earl Russell. His latest book was _Studies in Biography_. He wrote with much knowledge, and in a clear and sober style.

Литературная энциклопедия. 2012