I have read before that Mrs. Smith was a cameo of Jane herself. I find it hard to believe as far as the general personality of Mrs. Smith goes. She certainly does not possess JA's sharp wit, not do I think JA thrived so much on gossip to get her out of her illness like Mrs. Smith did. But perhaps, her response under illness was similar to Jane's?

She could scarcely imagine a more cheerless situation in itself than Mrs. Smith's. ... She had no child to connect her with life and happiness again,... no health to make all the rest supportable. Her accommodations were limited ..., with no possibility of moving from one to the other without assistance, which there was only one servant in the house to afford, and she never quitted the house but to be conveyed into the warm bath. Yet, in spite of all this, Anne had reason to believe that she had moments only of languor and depression to hours of occupation and enjoyment. How could it be? She watched, observed, reflected, and finally determined that this was not a case of fortitude or of resignation only. A submissive spirit might be patient, a strong understanding would supply resolution, but here was something more; here was that elasticity of mind, that disposition to be comforted, that power of turning readily from evil to good, and of finding employment which carried her out of herself, which was from nature alone. Ch. 17

Mrs. Smith's ... cheerfulness and mental alacrity did not fail her; and while these prime supplies of good remained, she might have bid defiance even to greater accessions of worldly prosperity. ...Her spring of felicity was in the glow of her spirits. Ch. 24