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1.) tremulous - (adj.) characterized by trembling, as from fear, nervousness, or weakness (dictionary.com)
"whose tremulous branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden [...] the sense of swiftness and motion" ( Wilde 3).

2.) truculent - (adj.) fierce; cruel; savagely brutal (dictionary.com)
"I remember her bringing me up to a truculent and red-faced old gentleman covered all over with orders and ribbons [...] the most astounding details" (9).

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1.) "But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face" (5).

Basil says the above quote as Lord Henry is trying to get him to put his picture of Dorian Gray on display. As Lord Henry reasons, Basil says the above quote, and then mentions that he would not display the picture since he put so much of himself into it. This quote relates the the theme of beauty. Beauty is a condition that appeals to the senses in a positive way, while Basil makes it seem that intellect is the exact opposite of beauty. This is because Lord Henry's attempts to reason with Basil does not ring correctly with that Basil Believes he should do. it is Basil's painting, so he can display it if he feels it necessary. If the painting is really that beautiful, maybe Basil does not want to display it so that he always has it to gaze at when he needs to.

Why should beauty be seen as the pinnacle of society? What could this mean for those who are not beautiful?

2.) "I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world" (11)

This quote also relates to the theme of beauty. When Lord Henry says the above quote, he is at the point where he requests that Basil tells of who Dorian Gray is. Lord Henry says the above quote, as if to state that he did not care who Dorian Gray was as a person, he just wanted to know about him. One thing that Lord Henry can see is that Dorian Gray is good looking. As with anyone, such a trait would ring positively with anyone. Yet, the rest of Dorian Gray remains a mystery to Lord Henry. He craves to learn more, and encourages Basil to describe him by saying that he will leave Dorian Gray open to interpretation, and will accept him, even if he has only done what is wrong.

Why would someone look for the wrong in anyone else?