Influence

His personality has…

His personality has suggested to me an entirely new manner of art, an entirely new mode of style. I see things differently, I think of them differently. I can now recreate life in a way that was hidden from me before. (Basil to Lord Henry, explaining Dorian’s influence. Chapter 1)

Because to influence…

Because to influence a person is to give him one’s own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else’s music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him. The aim of life is self-development. To realise one’s nature perfectly — that is what each of us is here for. (Lord Henry to Dorian, Chapter 2)

Talking to him was…

Talking to him was like playing upon an exquisite violin. He answered to every touch and thrill of the bow… There was something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence. No other activity was like it, (Chapter 3, Lord Henry about his influence on Dorian)

Yes… his painting had…

Yes… his painting had quite gone off. It seemed to me to have lost something. It had lost an ideal. When you and he ceased to be great friends, he ceased to be a great artist (Chapter 19, Lord Henry to Dorian discussing Basil’s disappearance)

I hope the girl…

I hope the girl is good, Harry. I don’t want to see Dorian tied to some vile creature, who might degrade his nature and ruin his intellect (Basil to Lord Henry, Chapter 6)

She makes them…

She makes them as responsive as a violin (Dorian about Sibyl, Chapter 7)

Yet you poisoned…

Yet you poisoned me with a book once. I should not forget that. (Dorian, to Lord Henry, CHapter 19)