] ...the clue date is the Netherfield Ball: Tuesday 26 November. Possible years on which 26 November was a Tuesday between the mid 1790s, when she wrote ``First Impressions''
1794 - April 20
1800 - April 13
1806 - April 6
1812 - March 29

Is it possible it was an earlier date like 1788ish? Any earlier years that fit? If I were telling a story I feel I might set it in the past rather than working carefully with a future calendar? (Also, does one know Easter many years in advance??)

Didn't JA leave some sort of explanation to readers of Persuasion that it was written and set at an earlier date than that at which it was published? Perhaps updating dates where naval history was concerned was too difficult?