George Colman the Elder
Encyclopedia
George Colman was an English
dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger
.
He was born in Florence
, where his father was stationed as British Resident Minister (diplomatic envoy) at the court of the Grand duke of Tuscany
. Colman's father died within a year of his son's birth, and the boy's education was undertaken by William Pulteney
, afterwards Lord Bath, whose wife was Mrs Colman's sister. After attending a private school in Marylebone
, young George was sent to Westminster School
, which he left in due course for Christ Church, Oxford
. Here he made the acquaintance of Bonnell Thornton
, the parodist, and together they founded The Connoisseur (1754–1756), a periodical which, although it reached its 140th number, "wanted weight," as Johnson
said. He left Oxford after taking his degree in 1755, and, having been entered at Lincoln's Inn
before his return to London, he was called to the bar in 1757. A friendship formed with David Garrick
did not help his career as a barrister, but he continued to practise until the death of Lord Bath, out of respect for his wishes.
In 1760, he produced his first play, Polly Honeycomb, which met with great success. In 1761, The Jealous Wife
, a comedy partly founded on Tom Jones
, made Colman famous. The death of Lord Bath in 1764 placed him in possession of independent means. In 1765 appeared his metrical translation of the plays of Terence
; and in 1766, he produced The Clandestine Marriage
, jointly with Garrick
, whose refusal to take the part of Lord Ogleby led to a quarrel between the two authors. In the next year he purchased a fourth share in the Covent Garden Theatre, a step which is said to have induced General Pulteney to revoke a will by which he had left Colman large estates. The general, who died in that year, did, however, leave him a considerable annuity.
Colman was acting manager of Covent Garden for seven years, and during that period he produced several "adapted" plays of Shakespeare
. In 1768 he was elected to the Literary Club, then nominally consisting of twelve members. In 1771 Thomas Arne's masque
The Fairy Prince
premiered at Covent Garden for which Colman wrote the libretto
. In 1774 he sold his share in the great playhouse, which had involved him in much litigation with his partners, to Leake
; and three years later he purchased of Samuel Foote
, then broken in health and spirits, the little theatre in the Haymarket
. He was attacked with paralysis in 1785; in 1789 his brain became affected, and he died on the 14 August 1794. Besides the works already cited, Colman was author of adaptations of Beaumont
and Fletcher
's Bonduca
, Ben Jonson
's Epicoene
and Volpone
, Milton
's Comus
, and of other plays. He also produced an edition of the works of Beaumont and Fletcher (1778), a version of the Ars Poëtica
of Horace
, an excellent translation from the Mercator of Plautus
for Bonnell Thornton
's edition (1769–1772), some thirty plays, many parodies and occasional pieces. An incomplete edition of his dramatic works was published in 1777 in four volumes.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger
George Colman the Younger
George Colman , known as "the Younger", English dramatist and miscellaneous writer, was the son of George Colman "the Elder".-Life:...
.
He was born in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, where his father was stationed as British Resident Minister (diplomatic envoy) at the court of the Grand duke of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
. Colman's father died within a year of his son's birth, and the boy's education was undertaken by William Pulteney
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the...
, afterwards Lord Bath, whose wife was Mrs Colman's sister. After attending a private school in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, young George was sent to Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, which he left in due course for Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. Here he made the acquaintance of Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton was an English poet, essayist, and critic. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Oxford University.In 1752 he founded the Drury Lane Journal, a satirical periodical which, among other things, lampooned other journals such as Johnson's Rambler, The Gentleman's Magazine and...
, the parodist, and together they founded The Connoisseur (1754–1756), a periodical which, although it reached its 140th number, "wanted weight," as Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
said. He left Oxford after taking his degree in 1755, and, having been entered at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
before his return to London, he was called to the bar in 1757. A friendship formed with David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
did not help his career as a barrister, but he continued to practise until the death of Lord Bath, out of respect for his wishes.
The Jealous Wife
The Jealous Wife is a 1761 British play by George Colman the Elder. A comedy - it was first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre on 12 February 1761 and ran for nineteen performances in its first season and seventy by the end of the century...
, a comedy partly founded on Tom Jones
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, often known simply as Tom Jones, is a comic novel by the English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. First published on 28 February 1749, Tom Jones is among the earliest English prose works describable as a novel...
, made Colman famous. The death of Lord Bath in 1764 placed him in possession of independent means. In 1765 appeared his metrical translation of the plays of Terence
Terence
Publius Terentius Afer , better known in English as Terence, was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on,...
; and in 1766, he produced The Clandestine Marriage
The Clandestine Marriage
The Clandestine Marriage is a comedy by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick, first performed in 1766 at Drury Lane. The idea came from one of William Hogarth's engravings.-Plot summary:...
, jointly with Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, whose refusal to take the part of Lord Ogleby led to a quarrel between the two authors. In the next year he purchased a fourth share in the Covent Garden Theatre, a step which is said to have induced General Pulteney to revoke a will by which he had left Colman large estates. The general, who died in that year, did, however, leave him a considerable annuity.
Colman was acting manager of Covent Garden for seven years, and during that period he produced several "adapted" plays of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. In 1768 he was elected to the Literary Club, then nominally consisting of twelve members. In 1771 Thomas Arne's masque
Masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
The Fairy Prince
The Fairy Prince
The Fairy Prince is a masque in three acts by composer Thomas Arne. The English libretto, by George Colman the Elder, is based on Ben Jonson’s Oberon, the Faery Prince...
premiered at Covent Garden for which Colman wrote the libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
. In 1774 he sold his share in the great playhouse, which had involved him in much litigation with his partners, to Leake
Leake
-Places:* Leake, Lincolnshire* West Leake and East Leake, Nottinghamshire* Leake, North Yorkshire* Leake County, Mississippi-People:*Bernard Elgey Leake , British geologist*George Leake , Australian politician...
; and three years later he purchased of Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote was a British dramatist, actor and theatre manager from Cornwall.-Early life:Born into a well-to-do family, Foote was baptized in Truro, Cornwall on 27 January 1720. His father, John Foote, held several public positions, including mayor of Truro, Member of Parliament representing...
, then broken in health and spirits, the little theatre in the Haymarket
The Haymarket
Haymarket is a street in the St. James's district of the City of Westminster, London. It runs from Piccadilly Circus at the north to Pall Mall at the south...
. He was attacked with paralysis in 1785; in 1789 his brain became affected, and he died on the 14 August 1794. Besides the works already cited, Colman was author of adaptations of Beaumont
Francis Beaumont
Francis Beaumont was a dramatist in the English Renaissance theatre, most famous for his collaborations with John Fletcher....
and Fletcher
John Fletcher (playwright)
John Fletcher was a Jacobean playwright. Following William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men, he was among the most prolific and influential dramatists of his day; both during his lifetime and in the early Restoration, his fame rivalled Shakespeare's...
's Bonduca
Bonduca
Bonduca is a Jacobean tragi-comedy in the Beaumont and Fletcher canon, generally judged by scholars to be the work of John Fletcher alone. It was acted by the King's Men c. 1613, and published in 1647 in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio....
, Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
's Epicoene
Epicoene, or the Silent Woman
Epicœne, or The silent woman, also known as The Epicene, is a comedy by Renaissance playwright Ben Jonson. It was originally performed by the Blackfriars Children, a group of boy players, in 1609...
and Volpone
Volpone
Volpone is a comedy by Ben Jonson first produced in 1606, drawing on elements of city comedy, black comedy and beast fable...
, Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's Comus
Comus (John Milton)
Comus is a masque in honour of chastity, written by John Milton. It was first presented on Michaelmas, 1634, before John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater at Ludlow Castle in celebration of the Earl's new post as Lord President of Wales.Known colloquially as Comus, the mask's actual full title is A...
, and of other plays. He also produced an edition of the works of Beaumont and Fletcher (1778), a version of the Ars Poëtica
Ars Poetica
Ars Poetica is a term meaning "The Art of Poetry" or "On the Nature of Poetry". Early examples of Ars Poetica by Aristotle and Horace have survived and have since spawned many other poems that bear the same name...
of Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
, an excellent translation from the Mercator of Plautus
Plautus
Titus Maccius Plautus , commonly known as "Plautus", was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest surviving intact works in Latin literature. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of Latin literature, Livius Andronicus...
for Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton was an English poet, essayist, and critic. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Oxford University.In 1752 he founded the Drury Lane Journal, a satirical periodical which, among other things, lampooned other journals such as Johnson's Rambler, The Gentleman's Magazine and...
's edition (1769–1772), some thirty plays, many parodies and occasional pieces. An incomplete edition of his dramatic works was published in 1777 in four volumes.
Selected plays
- Polly HoneycombePolly HoneycombePolly Honeycombe is a 1760 comedy play by George Colman the Elder. It satirised the young novel-reading woman. It was Colman's first play and helped establish his reputation, which he built on with The Jealous Wife the following year.-Bibliography:...
(1760) - The Jealous WifeThe Jealous WifeThe Jealous Wife is a 1761 British play by George Colman the Elder. A comedy - it was first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre on 12 February 1761 and ran for nineteen performances in its first season and seventy by the end of the century...
(1761) - The Oxonian in TownThe Oxonian in TownThe Oxonian in Town is a 1767 play by George Colman the Elder. It premiered on 7 November 1767 and was later published in 1769. A satire the work depicts a naive student of Oxford University travelling south to London where he becomes mixed up with shady company, only to be rescued by a fellow...
(1767) - The Manager in DistressThe Manager in DistressThe Manager in Distress is a 1780 comedy play by George Colman the Elder. It was written to open the summer season at the Haymarket Theatre on 30 April 1780. A theatre manager learns that his actors have all left him, meaning he has to cancel his season of plays, only for them to turn up after all...
(1780) - The Genius of Nonsense (1780)
External links
- George Colman at James Boswell - a Guide
- Portraits from the National Portrait Gallery