Joseph Blacket (1786-1810) has his place in
English Bards
(lines 765, 798) and
Hints from Horace
(line 734). The son of a labourer, and himself by trade a cobbler, he wrote verses in which Pratt saw signs of genius. A volume of his poetry was published in 1809, under the title of
Specimens
, edited by Pratt. Among those who befriended him were Elliston the actor, Dallas, and Miss Milbanke, afterwards Lady Byron (see
English Bards
, lines 770, and
note