Beauty.

Beauty's no other but a lovely grace
Of lively colours flowing from the face.

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is known for his book of poems, "Hesperides," which includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time." His works are noted for their clarity, simplicity, and musical quality. Herrick was also a vicar of Dean Prior in Devon, despite being ejected during the English Civil War and later reinstated.

Robert Herrick

To Mistress Mary Willand.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

On Himself.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Tears.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

To The Little Spinners.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

English

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Female Beauty

What's Female Beauty, but an Art divine,
Through which the Mind's all gentle Graces shine?
They like the Sun irradiate all between;
The Body charms, because the Mind is seen.

Mark Akenside

I Shall Make Beauty

    I shall make beauty out of many things:
    Lights, colours, motions, sky and earth and sea,
    The soft unbosoming of all the springs
    Which that inscrutable hand allows to me,
    Odours of flowers, sounds of smitten strings,
    The voice of many a wind in many a tree,
    Fields, rivers, moors, swift feet and floating wings,
    Rocks, caves, and hills that stand and clouds that flee.

    Men also and women, beautiful and dear,
    Shall come and pass and leave a fragrant breath;
    And my own heart, laughter and pain and fear,
    The majesties of evil and of death;
    But never, never shall my verses trace
    The loveliness of your most lovely face.

John Collings Squire, Sir

Beauty

A thing of beauty is a joy forever;
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

Unknown

To The Handsome Mistress Grace Potter

As is your name, so is your comely face
Touch'd every where with such diffused grace,
As that in all that admirable round,
There is not one least solecism found;
And as that part, so every portion else
Keeps line for line with beauty's parallels.

Robert Herrick

The Definition Of Beauty

Beauty no other thing is, than a beam
Flash'd out between the middle and extreme.

Robert Herrick

Her Beauty

Her true beauty leaves behind
Apprehensions in my mind
Of more sweetness than all art
Or inventions can impart;
Thoughts too deep to be expressed,
And too strong to be suppressed....
... What pearls, what rubies can
Seem so lovely fair to man,
As her lips whom he doth love
When in sweet discourse they move:
Or her lovelier teeth, the while
She doth bless him with a smile!
Stars indeed fair creatures be;
Yet amongst us where is he
Joys not more the whilst he lies
Sunning in his mistress' eyes.
Than in all the glimmering light
Of a starry winter's night?
    Note the beauty of an eye,
And if aught you praise it by
Leave such passion in your mind,
Let my reason's eye be blind.
Mark if ever red or white
Anywhere gave such delight...

George Wither