I am reading from a Penguin Classics edition with an introduction by Michael Gamer and he says: “If readers have found difficulty finding stable footing when reading Walpole’s romance, their uneasiness has stemmed at least in part from its unsettling combination of careful historicism and imaginative outrageousness, of solemnity and burlesque” and he then goes on to talk about irony and tone so I guess it is supposed to be funny in some parts. I really had no uneasiness and quite enjoyed Chapter 1 and I did not expect it to have any humor but I actually laughed out loud several times. The servants, Diego and Jaquez are hilarious. :D I also found these two lines very funny.

Reminded me of JA’s juvenilia:

“The company were struck with terror and amazement. The Princess Hippolita, without knowing what was the matter, but anxious for her son, swooned away.”

This just made me laugh because Manfred’s thoughts are so contrary:

“This presence of mind, joined to the frankness of the youth, staggered Manfred. He even felt a disposition towards pardoning one who had been guilty of no crime.”