Record

D8760 - Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth - 1714-1994
- F - Family records of the extended Franklin family and the Gell family of Hopton Hall - 1714-1994
  - FEP - Records of Eleanor Anne Porden, first wife of Sir John Franklin - 1800-1828
    - 1 - Correspondence of Eleanor Anne Porden - 1800-1825
      - 7 - Correspondence between Eleanor Anne Porden and friend Henry Elliott - 1815-1823

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Archive Reference / Library Class No.	D8760/F/FEP/1/7/5
Former Reference	D3311/8/2/5
Title	Letter from Eleanor Anne Porden to Henry Elliott, on preparing pieces for the Attic Chest
Date	1 Mar 1817
Description	She is afraid that Mr Elliott has lost his relish for the Attic Chest so that it will be unwelcome for her to ask him to copy an "accompanying scrap" so as to make it look as if were produced by the second Scriblerus; her muse had been idle, but this morning the idea of a Scriblerus Epistle popped into her head; hopefully he will do it for next Tuesday. She has only been "Attically idle", but she has set to work in earnest on her poem about Richard [Coeur de Lion], in the middle of the second book: she fears no one else will be interested in the work. Followed by passage to be copied, starting "Oh my poor resolutions!".
Extent	1 sheet
Level	Item
Repository	Derbyshire Record Office
Sender	Elenor Anne Porden
Sender Location	No address
Recipient	Henry Elliott
Recipient Location	No address
Archive Creator	Eleanor Anne Porden, later Eleanor Franklin (1795-1825)
Archive Creator	Gell family of Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
Transcript or Index	(in pencil at top) To Mr Elliott March 1. 1817 I am half afraid – nay that is an old beginning – and in sooth I am quite afraid that Mr Elliott has so much lost his relish for the Attic Chest that he will consider the present an unwelcome intrusion yet the hope of plaguing and puzzling our members tempts me so strongly that I cannot resist the wish to request that you will copy for me the accompanying scrap, so as to make it look like the production of the second Scriblerus. My muse has been as idle as you would make us believe yours, till glancing at a certain advertisement this morning the idea of a Scriblerian Epistle popped irresistibly into my head, which <circumstance> you must accept as an apology for plaguing you. I could wish it for next Tuesday that I may not appear more idle than I am but if <this> be inconvenient to you, or you think it will have better effect in the next number, do as you please. When I said I had been idle I did not strictly say true. I have indeed been Attically idle, but I have set to work in good earnest on Richard – am actually in the middle of the second book and greatly interested in my subject. Alas! I fear no one else will ever be interested in the work. I know you wish to be rid of your troublesome correspondent, but old habits are strong upon me, and I could gossip on to the end of my paper yet I will heroically stop short in my second page and be content with subscribing myself your sincere & ever obliged friend Eleanor Anne Porden. Oh my poor resolutions! Yet read the last number of the British Critic which was sent here about half an hour after the above was written, [?] and own I have some temptation to break them. You know the story of Apelles and his picture of Mars. He hesitated while a critic condemned, but effaced it when an ignorant man admired extravagantly. I felt much in the same way at the stream of unqualified praise poured on me in the Gentleman’s mag, and could have welcomed abuse rather than a sort of commendation more likely to throw ridicule than credit on the work. The present Review is more judicious, and I cannot help being gratified with it, but it is still so partial that I fear it is rather the work of some friend than the unbiased opinion of a fair critic. I should like to know how it came to be sent to me.

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