Blacklock, THOMAS, D.D.

Blacklock, THOMAS, D.D., the blind poet, was born of humble parentage at Annan in 1721, and lost his sight through smallpox before he was six months old. After going through the necessary course of academic study in Edinburgh, he was licensed as a preacher of the Established Church in 1759, and in 1762 was ordained minister of Kirkcudbright. The congregation objected strongly to the appointment, and in 1764 he resigned the charge in consideration of a small annuity. After this, he took pupils to board with him in Edinburgh till his death on 7th July 1791. It was a letter of his that arrested Burns on the eve of his departure for the West Indies, and thus, to all human appearance, saved from oblivion the greatest lyrist that the world has seen. The first volume of his own poor poems appeared in 1746; and a collected edition was published in 1793.