"The Castle of Otranto: Preface to the First Edition" by Horace Walpole

I wouldn't normally include a preface in an audiobook recording, but in this case Walpole is creating an important framing for the story that readers might find interesting to know before proceeding.

The picture used is a drawing of Strawberry Hill by William Marlow.

Strawberry Hill was home to Horace Walpole from 1749 onwards, built in a Gothic Revival style.

To follow along: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/696/696-h/696-h.htm

There is an additional preface to the second edition which I refuse to record. Partly because it is simply Walpole acknowledging that he did, in fact, write this piece, not merely translate it, and therefore it contributes no useful or interesting information to the reader, but also because he quotes, IN FRENCH, two rather extensive passages from Voltaire. As I have absolutely no capacity with the French language whatsoever, I will not subject you to it, nor humiliate myself, by attempting so much text in a language I cannot speak to save my own life.

What a bother that so many early English (and American!) authors felt so compelled to use so much French in their writing. Why were they so ashamed of their own language? I know French was the lingua franca of Europe for a long time, but if you are writing very specifically for an English-speaking audience, then who cares? You're not impressing anybody, you're just annoying everybody. Well, it's all in the past so we can't change it now, but ugh, how frustrating to the modern audience!