Портрет Дориана Грея

           Wehavetoresumeitwherewehadleftoff,andtherestealsoverusaterriblesenseofthenecessityforthecontinuanceofenergyinthesamewearisomeroundofstereotypedhabits, orawildlonging,itmaybe,thatoureyelidsmightopensomemorninguponaworldthathadbeenrefashionedanewinthedarknessforourpleasure, aworldinwhichthingswouldhavefreshshapesandcolours,andbechanged,orhaveothersecrets,aworldinwhichthepastwouldhavelittleornoplace,orsurvive,atanyrate,innoconsciousformofobligationorregret, theremembranceevenofjoyhavingitsbitterness,andthememoriesofpleasuretheirpain. 

           ItwasthecreationofsuchworldsasthesethatseemedtoDorianGraytobethetrueobject,oramongstthetrueobjects,oflife; andinhissearchforsensationsthatwouldbeatoncenewanddelightful,andpossessthatelementofstrangenessthatissoessentialtoromance,hewouldoftenadoptcertainmodesofthought thatheknewtobereallyalientohisnature,abandonhimselftotheirsubtleinfluences,andthen,having,asitwere,caughttheircolourandsatisfiedhisintellectualcuriosity, leavethemwiththatcuriousindifferencethatisnotincompatiblewitharealardouroftemperament,andthatindeed,accordingtocertainmodernpsychologists,isoftenaconditionofit. 

           ItwasrumouredofhimoncethathewasabouttojointheRomanCatholiccommunion; andcertainlytheRomanritualhadalwaysagreatattractionforhim. Thedailysacrifice,moreawfulreallythanallthesacrificesoftheantiqueworld, stirredhimasmuchbyitssuperbrejectionoftheevidenceofthesensesasbytheprimitivesimplicityofitselementsandtheeternalpathosofthehumantragedythatitsoughttosymbolise.