24 Quotes & Sayings By Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole was a British writer of the 18th century, regarded as the first art historian of the English speaking world. He was a member of the Walpole family, a prominent Whig family. His father, Sir Robert Walpole, was the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. Horace was a writer of Gothic fiction and built a reputation on his own Gothic horror novels, The Castle of Otranto and The Castle of Wolfenbach being some of his most famous works Read more

He gained fame as a historical writer as well as an antiquarian and historian.

The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but...
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The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. Horace Walpole
In science, mistakes always precede the truth.
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In science, mistakes always precede the truth. Horace Walpole
He was persuaded he could know no happiness but in...
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He was persuaded he could know no happiness but in the society of one with whom he could for ever indulge the melancholy that had taken possession of his soul. Horace Walpole
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Heaven mocks the short-sighted views of man. Horace Walpole
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When people will not weed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun by nettles. Horace Walpole
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I fear no bad angel, and have offended no good one. Horace Walpole
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To act with common sense according to the moment is the best wisdom and the best philosophy is to do one's duties to take the world as it comes submit respectfully to one's lot and bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it whatever it is. Horace Walpole
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We are largely the playthings of our fears. To one fear of the dark to another of physical pain to a third of public ridicule to a fourth of poverty to a fifth of loneliness ... for all of us our particular creature waits in ambush. Horace Walpole
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Old friends are the great blessing of one's later years.... They have a memory of the same events and have the same mode of thinking. Horace Walpole
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The best philosophy is to do one's duties to take the world as it comes submit respectfully to one's lot and bless the goodness that has given us so much happiness with it whatever it is. Horace Walpole
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I am in a moment of pretty wellness. Horace Walpole
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Mystery is the wisdom of blockheads. Horace Walpole
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The world is a comedy to those who think a tragedy to those who feel. Horace Walpole
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This world is a comedy to those who think a tragedy to those who feel. Horace Walpole
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There is no bombast, no similes, flowers, digressions, or unnecessary descriptions. Everything tends directly to the catastrophe. Horace Walpole
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By deafness one gains in one respect more than one loses one misses more nonsense than sense. Horace Walpole
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Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he isn't. A sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is. Horace Walpole
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In all science, error precedes the truth, and it is better it should go first than last. Horace Walpole
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I avoid talking before the youth of the age as I would dancing before them: for if one's tongue don't move in the steps of the day, and thinks to please by its old graces, it is only an object of ridicule. Horace Walpole
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Justice is rather the activity of truth, than a virtue in itself. Truth tells us what is due to others, and justice renders that due. Injustice is acting a lie. Horace Walpole
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The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well. Horace Walpole
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Poetry is a beautiful way of spoiling prose, and the laborious art of exchanging plain sense for harmony. Horace Walpole
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Nine-tenths of the people were created so you would want to be with the other tenth. Horace Walpole