Who said "O, thou art fairer, than the evening air clad in the beauty of a thousand stars"?

The 16th century writer who said "O, thou art fairer, than the evening air clad in the beauty of a thousand stars" was Christopher Marlowe, aka Kit Marlowe. He was an English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. "The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus", c. 1592, is the play where the quote is used.

In the play, Faustus enters with scholars discussing who is the most beautiful woman in the world. The scholars think it is Helen of Troy. Because of their friendship for him, Faustus promises to raise her from the dead and let the scholars see her in all her pomp and majesty. When music sounds, Helen passes by the men. The scholars wildly talk about her beauty and thank Faustus for allowing them to see the "paragon of excellence".

Marlowe's background includes these items. He was baptized in February 1564 in Canterbury, Kent, England. He lived for 29 years and died in May 1593 in Deptford, near London. He lived to be Shakespeare’s most important predecessor in English drama and he helped to introduce blank verse as a form of dramatic expression.

Marlowe was the second child and eldest son of John Marlowe, a Canterbury shoemaker. His schooling as a child is unknown, but in January 1579, he entered the King’s School, Canterbury, as a scholar. A year later he went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He obtained a bachelor of arts degree in 1584. He stayed in residence at Cambridge until he moved to London. He was later stabbed to death in a tavern brawl.