Show how it started by JEAN NEWTON BLOCKHEAD FOR the origin of this word which Is used constantly to describe some one who appears to us to be extreme ly stupid one whom we want to call a dunce we must go merely to our old friend shakespeare it Is in his co that he coined the word as follows lour wit will not so soon out as another mans will it Is strongly wedged up in a blockhead the reference made by the word vas to the then familiar dummy heads which stood in lie show windows or the wig makers of the day like the faceson face the wax figures which are occasionally casio nally seen in modern show win dows their expression waa blank and lifeless another contemporary refer ence to them Is found as follows As stupid as the face of a wig maker s stand copyright |