Miss Beverley, to whom Jane Austen refers in the first paragraph is the heroine of Cecelia by Fanny Burney.

According to Le Faye, the small prize that Charles captured was La Jeune Estelle, a small privateer. There is some confusion, but this is probably not the French schooner laden with sugar that was later lost at sea.

Edward Cooper, who's sermons Cassandra did not mention, was one of Mrs. Austen's nephews who had been given the living at Hamstall Ridware by Mary Leigh of Stoneleigh.

Caleb, to which Jane Austen refers is Coelebs in Search of a Wife by Hannah Moore.

The "grievous news from Spain" is the deat of Sir John Moore at Coruuna.