The poem "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron was composed in admiration of a lovely woman. According to legend, he composed it for a female relative, Mrs. Wilmot, whom he saw at a ball in London one night while she was in mourning, dressed in a black gown with shimmering sequins. The poet was so struck by her beauty that he wrote several poems about her. Byron's mother had died when he was only five years old, and his father soon married another lady who treated him harshly. At the age of 16, feeling isolated from his family and friends, he left England to travel Europe. During this time, he met many women who attracted him, but none compared to Mrs. Wilmot. He finally decided to dedicate a poem to her because she had inspired such feelings in him. In the year 1821, Byron published two books of poetry: "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" and "Don Juan". Although they were not very successful at the time, they have since become classics of English literature. Byron died in Greece on April 19th, 1824 at the age of 36. He is now considered one of the most important poets in British history.