She walks in Beauty

Being involved with classics at the moment, sometimes research is a little distractive. It then pulls me away from my actual field of interest (classic novels basically) and provides some other nice pieces. This one for example: She walks in Beauty by Lord Byron, who wrote this poem the morning after he met an engaged (or was she married?) girl at a ball. Fitting to the poem I found this painting (Woman in Boat by James Jaques Joseph Tissot) with this adorable little dog in the back of the small boat.

I really like the lines, and the combination of beauty and darkness, as it is usually the other way around and thought, I will share :-).

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord George Byron