Walpole, Horatio[Horace], fourth earl of Orford(1717-
1797) author, politician, and patron of the arts.
Walpole's strategy of keeping Great Britain at peace contributed greatly to the country's prosperity.
Walpole's position was threatened in 1727 when
George I died and was succeeded by George II.
While the"country party" attacked Walpole relentlessly, he subsidised writers who spoke up in his behalf.
Walpole's position was threatened in 1727 on the death of George I
and the successionof George II.
Walpole's de facto tenure as"Prime Minister" is often dated
to his appointment as First Lord in 1721.
Walpole also left behind a famous collection of art which he had assembled during his career.
Along with his political interests in his last years, Walpole enjoyed the pleasures of the hunt.
Walpole's first wife Catherine died on 20 August 1737
and was buried in Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey.
The Jacobite threat ended, soon after Walpole's term ended, with the defeat of the rebellion of 1745.
Aislabie was found guilty and imprisoned, but the personal influence of Walpole saved both Stanhope and Sunderland.
For his role in preventing these individuals, and others, from being punished, Walpole gained the nickname of"Screenmaster-General.".
Walpole's political career began in January 1701
when he won a seat in the general election at Castle Rising.
Arnall argued that government must be strong enough to control conflict,
and in that regard Walpole was quite successful.
Under the guidance of Walpole, Parliament attempted to deal with the financial crisis
brought on by the South Sea Bubble.
Walpole was also able to persuade Parliament
to pass the Licensing Act of 1737, under which London theaters were regulated.
The first British Prime Minister to
be recognised as such was Sir Robert Walpole who served from 1721 to 1742.
In 1721, Walpole was appointed Lord of Treasury,
leader of the House of Common and a de facto Prime Minister.
For his role in preventing these individuals and others from being punished, Walpole gained the nickname of"The Screen",[40] or"Screenmaster-General".
Similarly, the
influence of the Duke of Argyll secured the election of members opposed to Walpole in some parts of Scotland.
A comment by Horace Walpole confirms that cricket was being played
at Eton during the first quarter of the 18th century.
Walpole was able to recover from these events by removing the patent, however, Irish
sentiment was situated against the English control.
The resignation of Sunderland and the death of Stanhope in 1721 left Walpole as the most important figure in the administration.
When his father died in 1700, Walpole took over the estate because he was the eldest surviving son in their family.
William Arnall and others defended Walpole from the charge of evil political corruption by arguing
that corruption is the universal human condition.
Walpole considered her"indispensable to his happiness",
and her loss plunged him into a"deplorable and comfortless condition", which ended in a severe illness.
Hoppit says Walpole's policies sought moderation: he worked
for peace, lower taxes, growing exports, and allowed a little more tolerance for Protestant Dissenters.
Walpole had planned to become a clergyman
but as he was now the eldest surviving son in the family, he abandoned the idea.
In his new political positions, and encouraged by his advisers, Walpole introduced the sinking fund, a device to reduce the national debt.
After he was released, Walpole wrote and published anonymous pamphlets attacking
the Harley ministry and assisted Sir Richard Steele in crafting political pamphlets.