COLMAN, GEORGE, THE ELDER (1732-1794).—­Dramatist, b. at Florence, where his f. was British Envoy, he was a friend of Garrick, and took to writing for the stage with success.  He wrote more than 30 dramatic pieces, of which the best known are The Jealous Wife (1761), and The Clandestine Marriage (1766).  C. was also manager and part proprietor of various theatres.  He was a scholar and translated Terence and the De Arte Poetica of Horace, wrote essays, and ed.  Beaumont and Fletcher and B. Jonson.

COLMAN, GEORGE, THE YOUNGER (1762-1836).—­Dramatist, s. of the preceding, wrote or adapted numerous plays, including The Heir at Law and John Bull.  He was Examiner of Plays (1824-1836).  Many of his plays are highly amusing, and keep their place on the stage.  His wit made him popular in society, and he was a favourite with George IV.

COLTON, CHARLES CALEB (1780-1832).—­Miscellaneous writer, ed. at Eton and Camb., took orders and held various livings.  He was an eccentric man of talent, with little or no principle, took to gaming, and had to leave the country.  He d. by his own hand.  His books, mainly collections of epigrammatic aphorisms and short essays on conduct, etc., though now almost forgotten, had a phenomenal popularity in their day.  Among them are Lacon, or Many Things in Few Words, and a few poems.

COMBE, GEORGE (1788-1858).—­Writer on phrenology and education, b. in Edin., where for some time he practised as a lawyer.  Latterly, however, he devoted himself to the promotion of phrenology, and of his views on education, for which he in 1848 founded a school.  His chief work was The Constitution of Man (1828).

COMBE, WILLIAM (1741-1823).—­Miscellaneous writer.  His early life was that of an adventurer, his later was passed chiefly within the “rules” of the King’s Bench prison.  He is chiefly remembered as the author of The Three Tours of Dr. Syntax, a comic poem (?).  His cleverest piece of work was a series of imaginary letters, supposed to have been written by the second, or “wicked” Lord Lyttelton.  Of a similar kind were his letters between Swift and Stella.  He also wrote the letterpress for various illustrated books, and was a general hack.

CONGREVE, WILLIAM (1670-1729).—­Dramatist, was b. in Yorkshire.  In boyhood he was taken to Ireland, and ed. at Kilkenny and at Trinity Coll., Dublin.  In 1688 he returned to England and entered the Middle Temple, but does not appear to have practised, and took to writing for the stage.  His first comedy, The Old Bachelor, was produced with great applause in 1693, and was followed by The Double Dealer (1693), Love for Love (1695), and The Way of the World (1700), and by a tragedy, The Mourning Bride (1697).  His comedies are all remarkable for wit and sparkling dialogue, but their profanity and licentiousness