In Jane Austen's "Emma"...

She refers to a poem, and in this context, of an unflattering character, in which certain letters of the poem spell the name of the person who is the subject of the poem--usually the first letter of each line.

Hmm - I suspect it was an acrostic very flattering to her - and sent as a love-token.

Clearly she did not favour the suitor!

I think we are supposed to be reminded of Elton's own blundering riddle, sent to Emma, but which she believes to be destined for Harriet.

That is interesting - Austen usually "packs" each sentence with great meaning and information - but Icannot, offhand, recall anything about who this is. It would fit with her that we DO know something about who it is - ie that it would mesh somewhere with the other characters/themes - if you can tell me what chapter, and roughly where, I will try to have a look for you tomorrow?

Or - perhaps she is likening Mrs Elton to a nasty version of Harriet - whose affections wander around like a will o' the wisp!

When Our Dear Wabbit writes "she is likening . . . " she means that Miss Austen is likening the characters of Harriet and Mrs. Elton.

I had always assumed that Mrs. Elton mentioned the "abominable puppy" and his acrostic to remind her husband and inform her listeners that in her day she was a woman who could pick and choose among several suitors.

Poets of course are unreliable people with no grasp on the realities of this world, but to have been wooed by a poet.....

Hmmm - I am not sure at all if the authors of wooing acrostics were poets....

dlowan--

Pre-television, pre-off-the-rack greeting cards, home grown poetry was much more common.

Would you prefer "versifier"? That might be a better word.

A smile is something, which fills our lives
with beauty, joy, and grace.
And makes the whole world we live in
a better and happier place.

Somewhere there's someone who dreams of your smile,
and finds in that smile life is worth while.
So when you are dreaming, remember it's true.
Somebody somewhere is dreaming of you.

All women who have achieved great things
have been great dreamers.