Meanwhile Lee’s small clear handwriting—clearer then than it became afterwards—became familiar to contributors on the margin of the proofs returned to them. He made corrections, verified or queried doubtful statements, inserted fresh information, and as far as possible enforced uniformity in minor matters of method. The printed list of about a hundred and twenty of the commonest books of reference in the form in which it was desirable to cite them was probably devised by him. For, as Professor A. F. Pollard observes: ‘Detail was more congenial to him than to his chief’, and ‘he had a passion for precision.’[1]
A more difficult part of Lee's business was to keep the contributors up to time. To the general public the most remarkable feature of the Dictionary of National Biography was the regularity with which the quarterly volumes appeared. Its publication was to have commenced in October 1884, but the first issue had to be postponed till January 1885. After that there was no failure, and to secure this continuous flow of printed matter was Lee’s special function. The dilatoriness of contributors was the earliest obstacle. By a printed circular in April 1886 they were reminded that the default of a few contributors might compel the postponement of a volume. Henceforth an article must be sent in within six months from the date of its assignment, and if it had not been delivered within a year from the assignment, the editor considered that he was free to make a new arrangement. It was Lee’s business to see to the observance of this rule, to remind delinquents of their crime, and to keep the editor informed of the result. The price of punctuality was eternal vigilance.
The struggle to produce the Dictionary told upon Stephen, who was unused to office life, and found the continuous drudgery a greater strain than did the younger man. He grew nervous and depressed under his burden, and it became too heavy for him. ‘That damned thing goes on’, he wrote in January 1888, ‘like a diabolical piece of machinery, always gaping for more copy, and I fancy at times that I shall be dragged into it and crushed out into slips.’ Shortly afterwards he fell ill, and in the autumn of 1889 he had a more serious breakdown. On each occasion he was absent from the office for three months or longer. Lee had to do the editor’s work as well as his own, and to take great responsibility without possessing adequate authority. ‘I feel always’, wrote Stephen, ‘that the credit of getting on with such punctuality is due to you.’ For a moment Stephen thought of proposing to drop one quarterly issue on account of his illness, but decided to make an arrangement which would diminish his labour. He told a friend that he had put the Dictionary ‘into commission’, and done it ‘upon such terms that if I have to retire, it will, I think, be able to go on under the present management’ (December 1889).[2] Lee’s name as joint editor appeared with that of Stephen on the title page of the volume issued in March 1890, and of the four following volumes. Then, on 14 May 1891, he told Lee: ‘For the future you must say editor and not editors, and my name must be removed from the title page of the next volume.’[3] From volume xxvii onwards Lee’s name appeared alone.
xvii
