charlesdee
11/27/2016
Lovecraft's history of the weird tale covers territory that is now more familiar to readers than it was when HPB published it in the 1927. But even if the chronology the major players are known, readers will still find more obscure names they might want to seek out.
Although it was not HPL's intention, his at best qualified praise of the 18th and early 19th century progenitors of the modern weird tale reinforces my conviction that I will never read on of these classics of Gothic writing. They rest securely in the realm of novels of historical and academic interest only. Things pick up with the Victorians, and HPL's enthusiasm for his contemporaries both in the States and Europe is well placed. It's strange to read a history of the weird tale that must omit the seminal place of the author's own work, but his generous appreciation of others makes for enjoyable reading.