hundred　years　ago。　I　can　tell　you　best　what　he　is；　by　telling　you
  what　Doctors’　Commons　is。　It’s　a　little　out…of…the…way　place；　where
  they　administer　what　is　called　ecclesiastical　law；　and　play　all　kinds
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  of　tricks　with　obsolete　old　monsters　of　acts　of　Parliament；　which
  three…fourths　of　the　world　know　nothing　about；　and　the　other
  fourth　supposes　to　have　been　dug　up；　in　a　fossil　state；　in　the　days
  of　the　Edwards。　It’s　a　place　that　has　an　ancient　monopoly　in　suits
  about　people’s　wills　and　people’s　marriages；　and　disputes　among
  ships　and　boats。’
  ‘Nonsense；　Steerforth！’　I　exclaimed。　‘You　don’t　mean　to　say　that
  there　is　any　affinity　between　nautical　matters　and　ecclesiastical
  matters？’
  ‘I　don’t；　indeed；　my　dear　boy；’　he　returned；　‘but　I　mean　to　say
  that　they　are　managed　and　decided　by　the　same　set　of　people；
  down　in　that　same　Doctors’　Commons。　You　shall　go　there　one　day；
  and　find　them　blundering　through　half　the　nautical　terms　in
  Young’s　Dictionary；　apropos　of　the　“Nancy”　having　run　down　the
  “Sarah　Jane”；　or　Mr。　Peggotty　and　the　Yarmouth　boatmen　having
  put　off　in　a　gale　of　wind　with　an　anchor　and　cable　to　the　“Nelson”
  Indiaman　in　distress；　and　you　shall　go　there　another　day；　and　find
  them　deep　in　the　evidence；　pro　and　con；　respecting　a　clergyman
  who　has　misbehaved　himself；　and　you　shall　find　the　judge　in　the
  nautical　case；　the　advocate　in　the　clergyman’s　case；　or
  contrariwise。　They　are　like　actors：　now　a　man’s　a　judge；　and　now
  he　is　not　a　judge；　now　he’s　one　thing；　now　he’s　another；　now　he’s
  something　else；　change　and　change　about；　but　it’s　always　a　very
  pleasant；　profitable　little　affair　of　private　theatricals；　presented　to
  an　uncommonly　select　audience。’
  ‘But　advocates　and　proctors　are　not　one　and　the　same？’　said　I；　a
  little　puzzled。　‘Are　they？’
  ‘No；’　returned　Steerforth；　‘the　advocates　are　civilians—men
  who　have　taken　a　doctor’s　degree　at　college—which　is　the　first
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  reason　of　my　knowing　anything　about　it。　The　proctors　employ　the
  advocates。　Both　get　very　comfortable　fees；　and　altogether　they
  make　a　mighty　snug　little　party。　On　the　whole；　I　would
  recommend　you　to　take　to　Doctors’　Commons　kindly；　David。　They
  plume　themselves　on　their　gentility　there；　I　can　tell　you；　if　that’s
  any　satisfaction。’
  I　made　allowance　for　Steerforth’s　light　way　of　treating　the
  subject；　and；　considering　it　with　reference　to　the　staid　air　of
  gravity　and　antiquity　which　I　associated　with　that　‘lazy　old　nook
  near　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard’；　did　not　feel　indisposed　towards　my
  aunt’s　suggestion；　which　she　left　to　my　free　decision；　making　no
  scruple　of　telling　me　that　it　had　occurred　to　her；　on　her　lately
  visiting　her　own　proctor　in　Doctors’　Commons　for　the　purpose　of
  settling　her　will　in　my　favour。
  ‘That’s　a　laudable　proceeding　on　the　part　of　our　aunt；　at　all
  events；’　said　Steerforth；　when　I　mentioned　it；　‘and　one　deserving
  of　all　encouragement。　Daisy；　my　advice　is　that　you　take　kindly　to
  Doctors’　Commons。’
  I　quite　made　up　my　mind　to　do　so。　I　then　told　Steerforth　that
  my　aunt　was　in　town　awaiting　me　（as　I　found　from　her　letter）；　and
  that　she　had　taken　lodgings　for　a　week　at　a　kind　of　private　hotel　at
  Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　there　was　a　stone　staircase；　and　a
  convenient　door　in　the　roof；　my　aunt　being　firmly　persuaded　that
  every　house　in　London　was　going　to　be　burnt　down　every　night。
  We　achieved　the　rest　of　our　journey　pleasantly；　sometimes
  recurring　to　Doctors’　Commons；　and　anticipating　the　distant　days
  when　I　should　be　a　proctor　there；　which　Steerforth　pictured　in　a
  variety　of　humorous　and　whimsical　lights；　that　made　us　both
  merry。　When　we　came　to　our　journey’s　end；　he　went　home；
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  engaging　to　call　upon　me　next　day　but　one；　and　I　drove　to
  Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　I　found　my　aunt　up；　and　waiting
  supper。
  If　I　had　been　round　the　world　since　we　parted；　we　could　hardly
  have　been　better　pleased　to　meet　again。　My　aunt　cried　outright　as
  she　embraced　me；　and　said；　pretending　to　laugh；　that　if　my　poor
  mother　had　been　alive；　that　silly　little　creature　would　have　shed
  tears；　she　had　no　doubt。
  ‘So　you　have　left　Mr。　Dick　behind；　aunt？’　said　I。　‘I　am　sorry　for
  that。　Ah；　Janet；　how　do　you　do？’
  As　Janet　curtsied；　hoping　I　was　well；　I　observed　my　aunt’s
  visage　lengthen　very　much。
  ‘I　am　sorry　for　it；　too；’　said　my　aunt；　rubbing　her　nose。　‘I　have
  had　no　peace　of　mind；　Trot；　since　I　have　been　here。’　Before　I　could
  ask　why；　she　told　me。
  ‘I　am　convinced；’　said　my　aunt；　laying　her　hand　with
  melancholy　firmness　on　the　table；　‘that　Dick’s　character　is　not　a
  character　to　keep　the　donkeys　off。　I　am　confident　he　wants
  strength　of　purpose。　I　ought　to　have　left　Janet　at　home；　instead；
  and　then　my　mind　might　perhaps　have　been　at　ease。　If　ever　there
  was　a　donkey　trespassing　on　my　green；’　said　my　aunt；　with
  emphasis；　‘there　was　one　this　afternoon　at　four　o’clock。　A　cold
  feeling　came　over　me　from　head　to　foot；　and　I　know　it　was　a
  donkey！’
  I　tried　to　comfort　her　on　this　point；　but　she　rejected　consolation。
  ‘It　was　a　donkey；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　it　was　the　one　with　the
  stumpy　tail　which　that　Murdering　sister　of　a　woman　rode；　when
  she　came　to　my　house。’　This　had　been；　ever　since；　the　only　name
  my　aunt　knew　for　Miss　Murdstone。　‘If　there　is　any　Donkey　in
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Dover；　whose　audacity　it　is　harder　to　me　to　bear　than　another’s；
  that；’　said　my　aunt；　striking　the　table；　‘is　the　animal！’
  Janet　ventured　to　suggest　that　my　aunt　might　be　disturbing
  herself　unnecessarily；　and　that　she　believed　the　donkey　in
  question　was　then　engaged　in　the　sand…and…gravel　line　of　business；
  and　was　not　available　for　purposes　of　trespass。　But　my　aunt
  wouldn’t　hear　of　it。
  Supper　was　comfortably　served　and　hot；　though　my　aunt’s
  rooms　were　very　high　up—whether　that　she　might　have　more
  stone　stairs　for　her　money；　or　might　be　nearer　to　the　door　in　the
  roof；　I　don’t　know—and　consisted　of　a　roast　fowl；　a　steak；　and
  some　vegetables；　to　all　of　which　I　did　ample　justice；　and　which
  were　all　excellent。　But　my　aunt　had　her　own　ideas　concerning
  London　provision；　and　ate　but　little。
  ‘I　suppose　this　unfortunate　fowl　was　born　and　brought　up　in　a
  cellar；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　never　took　the　air　except　on　a　hackney
  coach…stand。　I　hope　the　steak　may　be　beef；　but　I　don’t　believe　it。
  Nothing’s　genuine　in　the　place；　in　my　opinion；　but　the　dirt。’
  ‘Don’t　you　think　the　fowl　may　have　come　out　of　the　country；
  aunt？’　I　hinted。
  ‘Certainly　not；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘It　would　be　no　pleasure　to　a
  London　tradesman　to　sell　anything　which　was　what　he　pretended
  it　was。’
  I　did　not　venture　to　controvert　this　opinion；　but　I　made　a　good
  supper；　which　it　greatly　satisfied　her　to　see　me　do。　When　the　table
  was　cleared；　Janet　assisted　her　to　arrange　her　hair；　to　put　on　her
  nightcap；　which　was　of　a　smarter　construction　than　usual　（‘in　case
  of　fire’；　my　aunt　said）；　and　to　fold　her　gown　back　over　her　knees；
  these　being　her　usual　preparations　for　warming　herself　before
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  going　to　bed。　I　then　made　her；　according　to　certain　established
  regulations　from　which　no　deviation；　however　slight；　could　ever　be
  permitted；　a　glass　of　hot　wine　and　water；　and　a　slice　of　toast　cut
  into　long　thin　strips。　With　these　accompaniments　we　were　left
  alone　to　finish　the　evening；　my　aunt　sitting　opposite　to　me
  drinking　her　wine　and　water；　soaking　her　strips　of　toast　in　it；　one
  by　one；　before　eating　them；　and　looking　benignantly　on　me；　from
  among　the　borders　of　her　nightcap。
  ‘Well；　Trot；’　she　began；　‘what　do　you　think　of　the　proctor　plan？
  Or　have　you　not　begun　to　think　about　it　yet？’
  ‘I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　it；　my　dear　aunt；　and　I　have
  talked　a　good　deal　about　it　with　Steerforth。　I　like　it　very　much
  indeed。　I　like　it　exceedingly。’
  ‘Come！’　said　my　aunt。　‘That’s　cheering！’
  ‘I　have　only　one　difficulty；　aunt。’
  ‘Say　what　it　is；　Trot；’　she　returned。
  ‘Why；　I　want　to　ask；　aunt；　as　this　seems；　from　what　I
  understand；　to　be　a　limited　profession；　whether　my　entrance　into
  it　would　not　be　very　expensive？’
  ‘It　will　cost；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘to　article　you；　just　a　thousand
  pounds。’
  ‘Now；　my　dear　aunt；’　said　I；　drawing　my　chair　nearer；　‘I　am
  uneasy　in　my　mind　about　that。　It’s　a　large　sum　of　money。　You　have
  expended　a　great　deal　on　my　education；　and　have　always　been　as
  liberal　to　me　in　all　things　as　it　was　possible　to　be。　You　have　been
  the　soul　of　generosity。　Surely　there　are　some　ways　in　which　I
  might　begin　life　with　hardly　any　outlay；　and　yet　begin　with　a　good
  hope　of　getting　on　by　resolution　and　exertion。　Are　you　sure　that　it
  would　not　be　better　to　try　that　course？　Are　you　certain　that　you
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　C