Philanthropic people lose all sense of humanity. It is their distinguishing characteristic.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 3. When Lord Henry says this, he fits his own description well. For Henry ironically practices his own brand of philantrophy, but it is intellectual rather than economic. He spends countless words and speeches influencing Dorian and others he meets about his "new Hedonism." This, despite the fact that he hypocritically says influencing people is immoral.