"Elegance, sweetness and beauty" are among the praises Captain Benwick was evidently singing to anyone who would listen.

This never occurred to me before this read!

In the previous reading sections, we read that Captain Wentworth wondered whether Anne ever danced, he was interested to learn Anne had received a marriage proposal from Charles Musgrove, and very definitely noticed at Lyme the gentleman who was struck by Anne's looks and "admired her exceedingly".

Now Charles declares to Anne that it is very clear that Captain Benwick "admires you exceedingly"

I was very struck by the use of nearly the same words for Mr. Elliot and Captain Benwick.

I also got to wondering--was Captain Wentworth also hearing his friend singing Anne's praises? Wentworth has been in Lyme, but not with Louisa, so who was he likely with? And Benwick has spoken about this to Henrietta, and in front of Charles and Mary--why not to an old, trusted friend?

Captain Wentworth seems to be particularly attentive to the fact that several other men are/have been very attracted to Anne.