The Castle of Otranto Quotes

“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, The Castle of Otranto

“But alas! my Lord, what is blood! what is nobility! 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.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“I can forget injuries, but never benefits.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“A bystander often sees more of the game than those that play”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“There is no bombast, no similes, flowers, digressions, or unnecessary descriptions. Everything tends directly to the catastrophe.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“I fear no bad angel, and have offended no good one.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“This is a bad world; nor have I had cause to leave it with regret.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“Heaven mocks the short-sighted views of man.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“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.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“The gentle maid, whose hapless tale,
these melancholy pages speak;
say, gracious lady, shall she fail
To draw the tear a down from thy cheek?”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“It is sinful to cherish those whom heaven has doomed to destruction.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“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.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“This life is but a pilgrimage.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“Nor have I forgotten sir. that the charity of his daughter delivered me from his power. I can forget injuries but never benefits.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“I come," replied he, "to thee, Manfred, usurper of the principality of Otranto, from the renowned and invincible Knight, the Knight of the Gigantic Sabre: in the name of his Lord, Frederic, Marquis of Vicenza, he demands the Lady Isabella, daughter of that Prince, whom thou hast basely and traitorously got into thy power, by bribing her false guardians during his absence; and he requires thee to resign the principality of Otranto, which thou hast usurped from the said Lord Frederic, the nearest of blood to the last rightful Lord, Alfonso the Good. If thou dost not instantly comply with these just demands, he defies thee to single combat to the last extremity.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“and then the figure, turning slowly round, discovered to Frederic the fleshless jaws and empty sockets of a skeleton, wrapt in a hermit’s cowl. “Angels of peace protect me!” cried Frederic, recoiling. “Deserve their protection!” said the spectre.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“My veracity is dearer to me than my life," said the peasant; "nor would I purchase the one by forfeiting the other.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“My soul abhors a falsehood”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“[...] the hearts of both had drunk so deeply of a passion which both now tasted for the first time.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“I desired you once before,” said Manfred angrily, “not to name that woman: from this hour she must be a stranger to you, as she must be to me.  In short, Isabella, since I cannot give you my son, I offer you myself.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“Look, my Lord! see, Heaven itself declares against your impious intentions!”

“Heaven nor Hell shall impede my designs,” said Manfred, advancing again to seize the Princess.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto

“He sighed, and retired, but with eyes fixed on the gate, until Matilda, closing it, put an end to an interview, in which the hearts of both had drunk so deeply of a passion, which both now tasted for the first time.”
― Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto