Harriet Lee

Lee was born in London in 1757. After the death of her father, John Lee, in 1781, she helped her sister, Sophia Lee, manage a private school in Belvedere House, Bath. In 1786, she published The Errors of Innocence, a novel broken up into five volumes, written in epistolary form. She also wrote a comedy, called The New Peerage, which was performed at Drury Lane on November 10, 1787. It had a prologue written by Richard Cumberland. Although it was performed nine times, it was not successful enough to encourage her to continue writing for the stage. John Genest described it as 'on the whole, a poor play. It was published with a dedication to Thomas King, the actor who had taken the chief role. Clara Lennox, a two-volume-novel, was published in 1797 and translated into French the following year. The five volumes of Lee's most famous work, Canterbury Tales, were published between 1797 and 1805. In 1798, she published a play, called The Mysterious Marriage, in three acts, It was also called The Heirship of Rosalva. It has never been staged. Before 1798, William Godwin met Lee during a ten-day visit in Bath. He was impressed with her conversation and, in a letter he sent to Lee after their meeting, stated "There are so few persons in the world that have excited that degree of interest in my mind which you have excited". He had been determined to offer her a marriage proposal. Lee found the self-absorption in Godwin's letter distasteful, and she chastised him with a frank response. From April to August 1798, they carried out a correspondence. Godwin again visited Bath at the end of 1798 and met with Lee. She ultimately decided that his religious opinions made a happy union impossible. She thought this because Godwin is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Her last letter, sent on 7 August 1798, expressed a hope that friendly relations might be maintained; and Godwin sent letters to her at a later date criticizing some of her literary productions. Among her friends were the novelists Jane and Anna Maria Porter, who lived in Bristol, and Thomas Lawrence. Allegedly, Sophia and Harriet Lee were the first to predict the future eminence of Sir Thomas Lawrence, who presented to them portraits by himself of Mrs. Siddons, John Kemble, and General Paoli. Samuel Rogers mentions meeting Harriet Lee in 1792. She lived to ninety-four, remaining lively, clear-minded, and kind until her death. She died in Clifton, Bristol, on 1 August 1851.

Harriet Lee is recorded as a citizen of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Recorded with the occupation playwright. Recorded with the occupation novelist. Recorded with the occupation writer.