"Jane will be quite an old maid soon, I declare. She is almost three-and-twenty! Lord, how ashamed I should be of not married before three-and-twenty!" (Chapt. 39, page 160).
Lydia harshly reminds Jane and the reader the importance of marriage here. Since Mr. Bennet has not born a son, his property must be given to Mr. Collins, because women are not allowed to own property. This requires all five of Mr. Bennet's daughters to be married off in order to live comfortably after he passes. This is Mrs. Bennet's reason for being infatuated with the courtship of her daughters. Lydia's comment about Jane's age affirms that the appeal of youth is the most common bribery of marriage. Austin puts this opinion in a context of mockery, showing that she disproves of this fact.
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