Sidney Lee
Encyclopedia
Sir Sidney Lee was an English
biographer and critic.
He was born Solomon Lazarus Lee at 12 Keppel Street, Bloomsbury
, London
and educated at the City of London School
and at Balliol College, Oxford
, where he graduated in modern history
in 1882. In the next year he became assistant-editor of the Dictionary of National Biography
. In 1890 he became joint editor, and on the retirement of Sir Leslie Stephen
in 1891 succeeded him as editor.
Lee himself contributed voluminously to the Dictionary, writing some 800 articles, mainly on Elizabethan
authors or statesmen. His sister Elizabeth Lee
also contributed. While still at Balliol he had written two articles on Shakespearean questions, which were printed in The Gentleman's Magazine
, and in 1884 he published a book about Stratford-on-Avon. His article on Shakespeare
in the fifty-first volume (1897) of the Dictionary of National Biography formed the basis of his Life of William Shakespeare (1898), which reached its fifth edition in 1905.
In 1902, Lee edited the Oxford facsimile
edition of the first folio
of Shakespeare's comedies, histories and tragedies, followed in 1902 and 1904 by supplementary volumes giving details of extant copies, and in 1906 by a complete edition of Shakespeare's works.
Lee received a knighthood in 1911. Between 1913-24 he was Professor of English Literature and Language at East London College, what is now Queen Mary, University of London
.
Besides editions of English classics
his works include a Life of Queen Victoria
(1902), Great Englishmen of the Sixteenth century (1904), based on his Lowell Institute
lectures at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1903, Shakespeare and the Modern Stage (1906), and King Edward VII
, a Biography (1925). There are personal letters from Lee, including during his last illness, in the T.F. Tout Collection, John Rylands Library, Manchester.
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...
biographer and critic.
He was born Solomon Lazarus Lee at 12 Keppel Street, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and educated at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
and at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he graduated in modern history
Modern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
in 1882. In the next year he became assistant-editor of the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
. In 1890 he became joint editor, and on the retirement of Sir Leslie Stephen
Leslie Stephen
Sir Leslie Stephen, KCB was an English author, critic and mountaineer, and the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell.-Life:...
in 1891 succeeded him as editor.
Lee himself contributed voluminously to the Dictionary, writing some 800 articles, mainly on Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
authors or statesmen. His sister Elizabeth Lee
Elizabeth Lee (writer)
Elizabeth Lee was a biographer and translator; secretary of the English Association; sister of Sidney Lee, and contributed to the monthly magazine The Library....
also contributed. While still at Balliol he had written two articles on Shakespearean questions, which were printed in The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
, and in 1884 he published a book about Stratford-on-Avon. His article on 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 the fifty-first volume (1897) of the Dictionary of National Biography formed the basis of his Life of William Shakespeare (1898), which reached its fifth edition in 1905.
In 1902, Lee edited the Oxford facsimile
Facsimile
A facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
edition of the first folio
Folios and Quartos (Shakespeare)
The earliest texts of William Shakespeare's works were published during the 16th and 17th centuries in quarto or folio format. Folios are large, tall volumes; quartos are smaller, roughly half the size...
of Shakespeare's comedies, histories and tragedies, followed in 1902 and 1904 by supplementary volumes giving details of extant copies, and in 1906 by a complete edition of Shakespeare's works.
Lee received a knighthood in 1911. Between 1913-24 he was Professor of English Literature and Language at East London College, what is now Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Besides editions of English classics
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
his works include a Life of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
(1902), Great Englishmen of the Sixteenth century (1904), based on his Lowell Institute
Lowell Institute
The Lowell Institute is an educational foundation in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., providing for free public lectures, and endowed by the bequest of $250,000 left by John Lowell, Jr., who died in 1836. Under the terms of his will 10% of the net income was to be added to the principal, which in...
lectures at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1903, Shakespeare and the Modern Stage (1906), and King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, a Biography (1925). There are personal letters from Lee, including during his last illness, in the T.F. Tout Collection, John Rylands Library, Manchester.