GEORGE, a miscellaneous and theatrical writer, was born at Florence about the year 1733. He was the son of Mr Colman, at that time British resident at the court of the Duke of Tuscany, and of a sister of the Countess of Bath. He received the early part of his education at Westminster School, where Lloyd, Churchill, and some others, who afterwards became distinguished literary characters, were among his intimate companions. While at school he appeared in the character of a poet, having addressed a copy of verses to his cousin Lord Pulteney, which were afterwards published in the magazine of St James. He was next sent to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he gave many proofs of his lively genius, uniting with Thornton in producing a weekly periodical paper entitled the Connoisseur, which was continued from January 1754 to September 1756, and afterwards published in 4 vols. 12mo. Although this work met not with an equal share of approbation with the World, the Adventurer, and the Rambler, which made their appearance much about the same time, yet it may with justice be affirmed, that some papers of it are superior to any which these performances contain, for a ludicrous delineation of the current manners, which has always been considered as an essential department of every periodical work. When Mr Colman took the degree of A.M. he left the college and resided in London. He entered at Lincoln's Inn, and in proper time was admitted to the bar; but literary pursuits were much more consonant to the bent of his genius. He published in 1760 a dramatic piece of great humour, called Polly Honeycomb, which was successfully acted in Drury Lane; and the following year he gave the world his comedy of the Jealous Wife, deemed the best which had for many years appeared. By the demise of Lord Bath he came into the possession of a handsome fortune, and it was further augmented by the death of General Pulteney in 1767. He still continued to write for the stage, and produced, along with Garrick, the Clandestine Marriage. He also translated the comedies of Terence into a kind of blank verse, which gained him considerable applause.

Soon after this he made a purchase of Haymarket theatre from Mr Samuel Foote, which he supplied with pieces either original or translations, and selected the ablest actors, particularly in comedy. To a translation he made of Horace's Art of Poetry, he prefixed an ingenious account of the intention of its author; and added importance to the whole work by many critical notes. The Genius, and the Gentlemen, were other two of his performances, as also a number of small pieces of the humorous kind. His understanding was much impaired by a stroke of the palsy, which seized him in the year 1789, in consequence of which melancholy event his son was intrusted with the management of the theatre. He died in the month of August 1794, in the 62d year of his age.