Sidney Lee | |
|---|---|
 Sir Sidney in 1924 | |
| Born | Solomon Lazarus Lee 5 December 1859 Bloomsbury,London, England |
| Died | 3 March 1926(1926-03-03) (aged 66) Kensington, London, England |
| Occupation |
|
| Nationality | English |
| Education | City of London School |
| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford |
| Relatives | Elizabeth Lee (sister) |
Sir Sidney Lee (5 December 1859 – 3 March 1926) was an English biographer, writer, and critic.
Lee was bornSolomon Lazarus Lee in 1859 at 12 Keppel Street,Bloomsbury,London. He was educated at theCity of London School and atBalliol College, Oxford, where he graduated inModern History in 1882. In 1883, Lee became assistant-editor of theDictionary of National Biography.[1] In 1890 he became joint editor and, on the retirement of SirLeslie Stephen in 1891, succeeded him as editor.
Lee wrote over 800 articles in theDictionary, mainly onElizabethan authors orstatesmen.[1] His sisterElizabeth Lee also contributed. While still at Balliol, Lee had written two articles on Shakespearean questions, which were printed inThe Gentleman's Magazine. In 1884, he published a book aboutStratford-upon-Avon, with illustrations byEdward Hull. Lee's entry onShakespeare in the 51st volume (1897) of theDictionary of National Biography formed the basis of hisLife of William Shakespeare (1898), which reached its fifth edition in 1905.
In 1902, Lee edited the Oxfordfacsimile edition of thefirst 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 aknighthood in 1911.[2] Between 1913 and 1924, he served as professor of English Literature and Language atEast London College.[3] In 1915 he delivered the British Academy's Shakespeare Lecture.[4]
Besides the editions ofEnglish classics, Lee's works include:
There are personal letters from Lee, including those written during his final illness, in the T. F. Tout Collection of theJohn Rylands Library inManchester.
Works by or aboutSidney Lee atWikisource
