George Colman, who advocated the theory that Shakespeare had some classic learning, commenting in the Appendix to the second edition of his translation of the comedies of Terence (1768) on Richard Farmer’s _Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare_ (1767), which maintains that Shakespeare got his knowledge of the ancients from translations, says: “Mr. Farmer closes these general testimonies of Shakespeare’s having been only indebted to Nature, by saying, ‘He came out of her hand, _as some one else expresses it_, like Pallas out of Jove’s head, at full growth and mature.’ It is whimsical enough, that this _some one else_, whose expression is here quoted to countenance the general notion of Shakespeare’s want of literature, should be no other than myself. Mr. Farmer does not choose to mention where he met with this expression of _some one else_; and _some one else_ does not choose to mention where he dropped it.” Colman’s “Appendix” was printed in the “Variorum” editions of Shakespeare, and that of 1785 gave an anonymous note, stating that Young “in his _Conjectures on Original Composition_ (vol. v. p. 100, ed. 1773) has the following sentence: ‘An adult genius comes out of Nature’s hands, as Pallas out of Jove’s head, at full growth and mature.’ Shakespeare’s genius was of this kind.” Young’s _Conjectures_ appeared in 1759, so perhaps Colman borrowed, though, as he says (_Prose on Several Occasions_, 1787, ii. p. 186), “The thought is obvious, and might, without improbability, occur to different writers.” At any rate, his form of the thought is better than Young’s, so he has here been given the credit for it. * * * * * To mark her Shakespeare’s worth, and Britain’s love, Let Pope design, and Burlington approve: Superfluous care! when distant times shall view This tomb grown old—his works shall still be new. RICHARD GRAVES (1715-1804). “On erecting a Monument to Shakespeare under the direction of Mr. Pope and Lord Burlington.” _Euphrosyne_, 1776. This refers to the monument erected by public subscription in Westminster Abbey in 1741. The design was by William Kent, and the statue of Shakespeare, which was part of it, was executed by Peter Scheemachers. * * * * * Our modern tragedies, hundreds of them do not contain a good line; nor are they a jot the better, because Shakespeare, who was superior to all mankind, wrote some whole plays that are as bad as any of our present writers’. HORACE WALPOLE (1717-1797). Letter to Sir Horace Mann, Oct. 8, 1778. _Letters._ Ed. Peter Cunningham, 1858, vol. vii. p. 135. * * * * *