He was very fond of literature,« observed Wolf.
    »Was he?« said Tigg.
    »Oh, yes; he took my paper regularly for many years. Do you know he said
some good things now and then? He asked a certain Viscount, who's a friend of
mine - Pip knows him - What's the editor's name, what's the editor's name? Wolf.
Wolf, eh? Sharp biter, Wolf. We must keep the Wolf from the door, as the proverb
says. It was very well. And being complimentary, I printed it.«
    »But the Viscount's the boy!« cried Pip, who invented a new oath for the
introduction of everything he said. »The Viscount's the boy! He came into our
place one night to take Her home; rather slued, but not much; and said, Where's
Pip? I want to see Pip. Produce Pip! - What's the row, my lord? - Shakspeare's
an infernal humbug, Pip! What's the good of Shakspeare, Pip? I never read him.
What the devil is it all about, Pip? There's a lot of feet in Shakspeare's
verse, but there ain't any legs worth mentioning in Shakspeare's plays, are
there, Pip? Juliet, Desdemona, Lady Macbeth, and all the rest of 'em, whatever
their names are, might as well have no legs at all, for anything the audience
know about it, Pip. Why, in that respect they're all Miss Biffins to the
audience, Pip. I'll tell you what it is. What the people call dramatic poetry is
a collection of sermons. Do I go to the theatre to be lectured? No, Pip. If I
wanted that, I'd go to church. What's the legitimate object of the drama, Pip?
Human nature. What are legs? Human nature. Then let us have plenty of leg
pieces, Pip, and I'll stand by you, my buck! And I am proud to say,« added Pip,
»that he did stand by me, handsomely.«
    The conversation now becoming general, Mr. Jonas's opinion was requested on
this subject; and as it was in full accordance with the sentiments of Mr. Pip,
that gentleman was extremely gratified. Indeed, both himself and Wolf had so
much in common with Jonas, that they became very amicable; and between their
increasing
