The New York herald., 1871-03-19
o Is r r U A q r.
ROtcrt Chambers.

ROccrt Chambers
Yesterday MOI Ming cable telegram published In
the HERALD announced the death OF this eminent
Scotch author and publisher, IN the sixty.nlnth
year OF his age. The career of Robert Chambers,
like that of Ills brother William was a remarkable
instance Of talents and energy struggling against
adverse circumstances and coming out victorious.
At PEBBLES. Scotland, IN 1902, the subject OF this
sketch was born. His parents were persons OF re-
spectability aud good standing; but, they
lacked wealth to send them 10 the uni
versilies, Robert ana his brother were educated in
their native town. Reverses making still narrower
an already small income the family was compelled
TO return TO Edinburg, where the two boys were, In
q measure, thrown entirely upon their own re-
sources. Scotch pluck ana industry surmounted
the many obstacles In their path In 1918 Robert
began business on his own account as q bookseller ;
his capital amounted 10 lew sniings, but he
invested 1t uiiciously, and was able TO make living
out OF II. Bookseiling however, was only engaged
IN from necessity, lhe young man possessed llte-
rary taste which he soon found an opportunity Of
indulgng. william, his brother, had added the
printing business TO bookselling, ana ROBERT Induced
him TO undertake the pubcat on OF small periodical
called the kGieidoseOpe, the latter furnishing The
articles aud william setting the type and printing
oil the paper himself. Alter brief existence the
Kaleidoscope was abandoned to enable Robert To
write and bring out his ILLUSTRATIONS OF the Au-
thor of waveriey,n an admirable work on The sup
posed characters whom Sir Walter Scott described
IN his novels Shortly after this book appeared
Robert set about collecting materials for is '.fiad
tlOnS OF EulnDurs,' n most interesting WORK. III
was published In 1924 and mas passed through many
| editions.
The deceased author had now made a reputation
IN the world Of letters and hcncelorward his path
/ In life was smooth and easy Ills popular Rhymes
OF Scotandn appeared In 1885, during the following
year he publisned his pictures OF Scotandu and
shortly alter he gave to the public five volumes or
| histories of the scottish Rebelllons,' two OF a
| Life OF James l." and three Of Scottish Ballads
and Songs" He also began the publication OF his
geographical Dictionary OF Eminent Scotchmen, !"
which was completed In four volumes In 1886.
u In 1929 William an Robert for the FIRST time, en-.
tered into copartnership. Together they published
a "Gazetteer of Scotlandu IN 1882, ana "fiis-
tory OF Scotland for Juvenile Readersn the latter
written by Robert On February 4, 1882. the first
number Of Chambers Journal, appeared, ana soon
obtained large circulation. From that time the
business of the brothers continued to improve ana
at the present day Is very large. Although he never
received regular education in science the subject
OF this sketch produced several excellent geologi-
cal works. The latest OF his historical produce
tons is the Domestic Annals OF Scotand.n He
also edited, with his brother, a large number OF
works, one OF the most important OF which Is
Chambers Encyclopaedia The death OF Robert
Chambers must be regarded loss to
Scottish literature He was close ana attentive
student OF the history Of his naive country and con-
trDuted greatly Ia the work OF giving to the world
facts In connection with the events OF the past in
Scotland which would have been wholly lost but
lor MS study and research.