emedtoincreasewithgratification.Themorehekhemorehedesiredtoknow.Hehadmadhuhatgrewmoreravenousashefedthem.

    Yethewasnotreallyreckless,atanyrateinhisrelationstosociety.Owiceeverymonthdurier,andoneachWednesdayeveningwhiletheseasonlasted,hewouldthrowopentotheworldhisbeautifulhouseandhavethemostcelebratedmusisofthedaytocharmhisguestswiththewondersoftheirart.Hislittledinners,ilingofwhichLordHenryalwaysassistedhim,werenotedasmuchforthecarefulseleandplagofthoseinvited,asfortheexquisitetasteshowninthedecorationofthetable,withitssubtlesymphonicarrasofexoticflowers,andembroideredcloths,andantiqueplateofgoldandsilver.Ihereweremany,especiallyamongtheveryyoungmen,whosaw,orfahattheysaw,inDraythetruerealizationofatypeofwhichtheyhadoftendreamedionorOxforddays,atypethatwastobinesomethingoftherealcultureofthescholarwithallthegraddistinandperfenerofacitizenoftheworld.TothemheseemedtobeofthepanyofthosewhomDantedescribesashavingsoughtto"makethemselvesperfectbytheworshipofbeauty."LikeGautier,hewasoneforwhom"thevisibleworldexisted."

    Aainly,tohimlifeitselfwasthefirst,thegreatest,ofthearts,andforitalltheotherartsseemedtobebutapreparation.Fashion,bywhichwhatisreallyfantastiesforamomentuniversal,anddandyism,whiitsownway,isaoasserttheabsolutemodernityofbeauty,had,ofcourse,theirfasationforhim.Hismodeofdressing,aicularstylesthatfromtimetotimeheaffected,hadtheirmarkedinflueheyoungexquisitesoftheMayfairballsandPallMallclubwindows,whocopiedhimihingthathedid,andtriedtoreproduce