Chambers, Robert

Robert Chambers (July 10, 1802, Peebles - March 17, 1871, St. Andrews ^[4] ) - British publisher, bookseller, popularizer of science (history, biology, geology, literature, folklore), scientific writer. Best known as the anonymous author of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, considered one of the first works on evolutionary biology.

He showed great ability to science even during his studies at a local school, having been interested in literature since childhood; he took books in the only exchange library in a small town; since the age of 12 he has been reading the fourth edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica bought by his father. Parents initially wanted to see him as a clergyman, but subsequently abandoned this idea because of a lack of funds. In 1813, the family moved to Edinburgh, where in 1818, Chambers, who was then 16 years old, opened his first business - a private exchange library, having at that time only a small number of books owned by his father. In 1819, the same case was opened by his older brother William, with whom Robert soon joined forces, subsequently establishing the publishing company W. & R. Chambers. "

In 1824, Robert Chambers, who had been studying Scottish antiquities for a long time, published his first historical work, The Traditions of Edinburgh (in two volumes), which earned a favorable assessment from Walter Scott. In 1828, Chambers released a five-volume historical work, "A History of the Rebellions in Scotland from 1638 to 1745". In 1832, Chambers founded the weekly Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, known since 1854 as the Chambers's Journal of Literature, Science and Arts, which quickly became widely known in Scotland. Initially, he was only its owner, but after the release of 14 issues, together with his brother he became one of its chief editors.

Among the main popular science works written by Chambers alone or in co-authorship are Popular Rhymes of Scotland (1826; reprinted in 1892), History of the Rebellions in Scotland in 1689 and 1715 (1829), Life of James I ”(1830),“ Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen ”(4 volumes, Glasgow, 1832-1835),“ Cyclopaedia of English Literature ”(1844),“ Life and Works of Robert Burns ”(4 volumes, 1851; reprinted in 1896), Ancient Sea Margins (1848), Domestic Annals of Scotland (3 volumes, 1859-1861) and Book of Days (2 volumes, 1862-1864). Of these works, Cyclopaedia of English Literature was highly rated, containing numerous fragments from literary works of the most famous English authors of various historical eras, Life and Works of Robert Burns, specially selected by Chambers, during which he conducted serious research and discovered many previously unknown facts about the life of Robert Burns, including those obtained during conversations with the poet’s sister Begg (in whose favor he listed all the funds received from the sale of the publication), and “Book of Days”, a large-scale essay a statement on world antiquities, work on which is believed to have undermined his health. In addition, the Encyclopedia Chambers's Encyclopaedia, edited by Andrew Findlater, was published in his publishing house in 1859-1868.

One of Chambers' main passions was geology; throughout his life he took several scientific trips to study the geology of Canada and Scandinavia, following which he wrote the compositions Tracings of the North of Europe (1851) and Tracings in Iceland and the Faroe Islands (1856). Earlier, in the years 1843-1846, he anonymously published the two-volume essay “Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation”, written from rationalist positions. In connection with the then public opinion, Chambers did not want to discredit the reputation of his publishing house with his own views, which explains the anonymity of the publication; the true authorship of the work, previously attributed to Charles Lyell or Prince Albert, was disclosed only in the preface to the 12th edition of the book, published after his death, in 1884 in Ireland. As a result, it became his most famous work, which immediately after publication caused wide resonance and lengthy debate in the scientific community. Two years before his death, Chambers became an honorary doctorate in law at the University of St Andrews and, in recognition of his achievements in enlightenment through the publication of non-fiction, became a member of the London Athenaeum Club.