Born in 1715 and died in 1785, William Whitehead was an English poet and playwright. He wrote several plays based on ancient Greek models, including Creusa, Queen of Athens in 1754 and School for Lovers. Whitehead was appointed poet laureate in 1757. Although his light verse had been admired, the more grandiose works that he was required to write as laureate were ridiculed.
His poem The Je ne scai quoi is rather lovely, which means "I don't know what" in French.