Портрет Дориана Грея

           TothemheseemedtobeofthecompanyofthosewhomDantedescribesashavingsoughtto"makethemselvesperfectbytheworshipofbeauty. "LikeGautier,hewasoneforwhom"thevisibleworldexisted." 

           And,certainly,tohimLifeitselfwasthefirst,thegreatest,ofthearts,andforitalltheotherartsseemedtobebutapreparation. Fashion,bywhichwhatisreallyfantasticbecomesforamomentuniversal, andDandyism,which,initsownway,isanattempttoasserttheabsolutemodernityofbeauty,had,ofcourse,theirfascinationforhim. Hismodeofdressing,andtheparticularstylesthatfromtimetotimeheaffected,hadtheirmarkedinfluenceontheyoungexquisitesoftheMayfairballsandPallMallclubwindows, whocopiedhimineverythingthathedid,andtriedtoreproducetheaccidentalcharmofhisgraceful,thoughtohimonlyhalf-serious,fopperies. 

           For,whilehewasbuttooreadytoacceptthepositionthatwasalmostimmediatelyofferedtohimonhiscomingofage, andfound,indeed,asubtlepleasureinthethoughtthathemightreallybecometotheLondonofhisowndaywhattoimperialNeronianRometheauthorofthe"Satyricon"oncehadbeen, yetinhisinmosthearthedesiredtobesomethingmorethanamerearbiterelegantiarum, tobeconsultedonthewearingofajewel,ortheknottingofanecktie,ortheconductofacane. Hesoughttoelaboratesomenewschemeoflifethatwouldhaveitsreasonedphilosophyanditsorderedprinciples, andfindinthespiritualisingofthesensesitshighestrealisation. 

           Theworshipofthesenseshasoften,andwithmuchjustice,beendecried,menfeelinganaturalinstinctofterroraboutpassionsandsensations thatseemstrongerthanthemselves,andthattheyareconsciousofsharingwiththelesshighlyorganisedformsofexistence.