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You meaner beauties of the night,
That poorly satisfy our eyes
More by your number than your light;
You common people of the skies,
What are you when the sun shall rise?
--
On His Mistress, the Queen of Bohemia, stanza 1 (1624). In some versions "moon" replaces "sun". This was printed with music as early as 1624, in Est's "Sixth Set of Books", for example.

 

Henry Wotton

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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.

 

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'Tis true, 'tis day; what though it be?
O wilt thou therefore rise from me?
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Did we lie down, because 'twas night?
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What comes now? The earth awaits
What fierce wonder from the skies?
Thunder, trampling through the night?
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Lionel Johnson

 

Then, if when I have lov’d my round,
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With spoils of meaner beauties crown’d
I laden will return to thee,
Ev’n sated with variety.

 

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The glory of the day was in her face,
The beauty of the night was in her eyes.
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