A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Lee, Sophia
This amiable and ingenious lady was born in London, in the year 1760. Her father, originally bred to the law, was an actor of merit, whose conduct gained him admission into the best circles, and who gave his children an excellent education. At an early age, the subject of this article exercised her pen in composition, and in 1780 produced the diverting comedy entitled the "Chapter of Accidents," which met with considerable success. With the profits of this play, on the death of her father, which took place the following year, she was enabled to open a school at Bath, which, aided by her sisters, she conducted for several years with great reputation. Her next performance, published in 1784, was the well-known novel entitled "The Recess, or a Tale of Other Times," the story of which is founded on the fate of two supposed daughters of Mary Queen of Scots, by a secret marriage with the Duke of Norfolk. It is ingeniously and pathetically wrought up, but some severe casuists have condemned the unfair liberty which it takes with some historical characters. This romance, which became very popular, was followed in 1787 by a ballad called "A Hermit's Tale, found in his Cell," In 1796, Miss Lee produced a tragedy called "Almeyda, Queen of Granada;" but although aided by the great talents of Mrs. Siddons, it did not realise the expectations which her power of moving the passions in the "Recess" had created. In the succeeding year, Miss Harriet Lee published the first five volumes of her "Canterbury Tales," three stories in which were from the pen of her sister, and of these, one called "Krutzmar" was selected for the subject of a tragedy by Lord Byron. In 1803, having secured a handsome competence, she retired . from teaching; soon after which appeared her "Life of a Lover," a novel written early in life. In 1807, a comedy by Miss Lee, termed the "Assignation," was unsuccessfully produced at Drury Lane, which drama terminated her literary career. She died at Clifton, near Bristol, March 13th., 1824.