Портрет Дориана Грея

           Experiencewasofnoethicalvalue.Itwasmerelythenamemengavetotheirmistakes. Moralistshad,asarule,regardeditasamodeofwarning,hadclaimedforitacertainethicalefficacyintheformationofcharacter, hadpraiseditassomethingthattaughtuswhattofollowandshoweduswhattoavoid. Buttherewasnomotivepowerinexperience.Itwasaslittleofanactivecauseasconscienceitself. Allthatitreallydemonstratedwasthatourfuturewouldbethesameasourpast, andthatthesinwehaddoneonce,andwithloathing,wewoulddomanytimes,andwithjoy. 

           Itwascleartohimthattheexperimentalmethodwastheonlymethodbywhichonecouldarriveatanyscientificanalysisofthepassions; andcertainlyDorianGraywasasubjectmadetohishand,andseemedtopromiserichandfruitfulresults. HissuddenmadloveforSibylVanewasapsychologicalphenomenonofnosmallinterest. Therewasnodoubtthatcuriosityhadmuchtodowithit,curiosityandthedesirefornewexperiences;yetitwasnotasimplebutratheraverycomplexpassion. Whattherewasinitofthepurelysensuousinstinctofboyhoodhadbeentransformedbytheworkingsoftheimagination, changedintosomethingthatseemedtotheladhimselftoberemotefromsense,andwasforthatveryreasonallthemoredangerous. Itwasthepassionsaboutwhoseoriginwedeceivedourselvesthattyrannisedmoststronglyoverus. Ourweakestmotiveswerethoseofwhosenaturewewereconscious. Itoftenhappenedthatwhenwethoughtwewereexperimentingonotherswewerereallyexperimentingonourselves. 

           WhileLordHenrysatdreamingonthesethings,aknockcametothedoor,andhisvaletentered,andremindedhimitwastimetodressfordinner. Hegotupandlookedoutintothestreet. Thesunsethadsmittenintoscarletgoldtheupperwindowsofthehousesopposite.