The original quote from Dickens' Oliver Twist is indeed, 'a ass' ~~ Mr Bumble, the henpecked former proud parish beadle, told that the law supposes that a wife acts under her husband's direction, replies indignantly, "If the law supposes that, the law is a ass — a idiot; if that's the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience."

~Michael~