“It seems to me that in the despondency of the tender passion, we are looking into our gift-horse’s mouth with a magnifying-glass.”
– Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, Chapter 30. Using a metaphor, Herbert suggests that Pip’s dejection over his romantic feelings for Estella is clouding his judgment about his “great expectations.” He is attempting to reassure Pip over feelings of uncertain and dependency he has about his inheritance from a secret benefactor.