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Archive Reference / Library Class No.D8760/F/FEP/1/7/4
Former ReferenceD3311/8/2/4
TitleLetter from Eleanor Anne Porden to Henry Elliott, back in London after her travels to the Continent
Date11 Nov 1816
DescriptionShe considers a letter from Waterloo as rather a debt to him, after all the trouble taken by him on her foolish poem, but now it is brought home, she fears he might scarcely think it worth reading. Comparison of carriages at Brussels, said to have belonged to Buonaparte, mentioning M. Van Kamper Noten and Bullock (the latter said by locals to have been that of his secretary); they are not sorry to be back home again, with her being disappointed in the beauty of the country in the Netherlands and France in comparison with England, with its churches being the equal of those on the continent. Mama's health is indifferent, and the author fears that she will not be opening the [Attic] Chest that season; there is no reason why he should not be prepared for it, and ample material will be supplied by his own contintental adventures as much as theirs. [Sent with letter written at Mont St. Jean Waterloo, i.e. on 16 Oct 1816]
Extent1 sheet
LevelItem
RepositoryDerbyshire Record Office
SenderEleanor Anne Porden
Sender LocationBerners Street
RecipientHenry Elliott
Recipient LocationNo address
Archive CreatorEleanor Anne Porden, later Eleanor Franklin (1795-1825)
Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
Transcript or IndexBerners Street. November 11th 1816

Dear Sir,
I considered a letter from Waterloo as rather a debt to you, after all the trouble you have taken about my foolish poem, and had some pleasure in the idea of paying it but now that it is written and brought home I begin to fear you may scarcely think it worth reading – especially as our adventures have been already detailed to you but you shall have it if you think worth while.
On our return from the field of battle we went to M. Van Kamper Noten – if I remember his name aright, to see what is shewn at Bruxelles as the real carriage of Buonaparte. At least as the one in which his hat and sword were found. The latter circumstance appears to me not improbable, but while the people of Bruxelles assert the Carriage shewn by Bullock, to have belonged only to his secretary, I am very much inclined to believe this the Secretary’s carriage, as it has abundant conveniences for papers, but for nothing else, is unpainted and unlined, and one of the clumsiest things you ever saw.
I am not going to weary you with any account of the rest of our tour, but only to say that delightful as it has been we are not at all sorry to get back again. We were surprized at the beauty of the country the moment we crossed the Channell [sic]. In this respect I had been disappointed both in France and the Netherlands, but laid much blame on the badness of the season, till I saw the hills and valleys and woods of the Dover road, and felt their superiority. Nor need Canterbury or Rochester blush at a comparison with the Cathedrals of the Continent, and for the Docks of Chatham, where have we seen any thing to match them?
With London too I am in better humour than I expected. If she have less of magnificence in particular scenes, the eye is always pleased with her finished neatness and regularity. Her Churches too really look very well, and the Lord Mayor’s shew which I went to see for the purpose of comparison puts both Paris and Bruxelles out of countenance. Of cleanliness, convenience and comfort I will say nothing. We knew all that before.
I must not talk anything about the Chest <yet> and Mama’s health, is now again, I am sorry to say so very indifferent, that I have great doubts of its opening this season, at least for some time, but that is no reason why you should not be prepared for it, and your continental adventures as well as ours, will supply ample materials.
Your sincere & obliged friend
Eleanor Anne Porden

[in later hand on endpage]
Miss P. 11/11 – 16
With a letter written at Mont St Jean
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