Page:A history of booksellers, the old and the new.djvu/287

249 CHAMBERS, KNIGHT, AND CASSELL. 249 onward through a whole library of grammars, dic- tionaries, histories, scientific, and all primary class books, and cheap editions of standard foreign and classical authors, till it culminates in a popular " En- cyclopaedia" in ten thick volumes. This "Encyclo- paedia" was originally founded on the " German Con- versations' Lexicon," but the articles were in all cases either rewritten or thoroughly revised. It admirably supplies the wants of those readers for whom the "Penny Encyclopaedia" was in the first instance devised, before its expansion into the present more expensive form. Literary honours fell fast upon Robert Chambers. He enjoyed the rare distinction of being nominated into the Athenseum Club by its committee of man- agement, and was elected a member of many scientific societies ; and finally the University of St. Andrews conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Laws. In 1 864 appeared his first real work, the " Book of Days," but the success that attended it was dearly bought. He had found it necessary to reside for some years in London, in order to avail himself of the inexhaustible treasures of the British Museum, but on his return to Scotland he was often heard to say "that book is my death-blow." His nervous system was shattered, and literary labour was at an end. After the completion of seventy volumes, and innumerable articles, compelling almost incessant mental effort for five-and-forty years, the over- worked brain at last demanded repose. The de- scendants of Smollett, the novelist, offered him the use of some hitherto untouched family documents, and he was tempted once more to essay the long- 16