"To look almost pretty is an acquisition of higher delight to a girl who has been looking plain for the first fifteen years of her life than a beauty from her cradle can ever receive"

This quote by Jane Austen speaks to the power of self-improvement and the pleasure that features it. It suggests that the feeling of becoming nearly pretty is more gratifying for a girl who has been plain for the first fifteen years of her life than it is for a woman who has been stunning since birth. This is due to the fact that the previous has striven to make herself look better, and the sensation of achievement that comes with it is more rewarding than merely being born stunning. The quote also implies that appeal is not the only thing that matters in life, and that self-improvement and effort can bring simply as much joy. It is a pointer that charm is not the only thing that matters, and that self-improvement and hard work can bring just as much delight.