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CHAMBERS the old books in the house, and a few cheap pocket bibles. Robert, taking this advice, speedily started in the world in a small shop with space for a stall in front in Leith Walk, opposite Pilrig Avenue. He prospered in this business, and in 1822 moved to better premises in India Place, from which he afterwards migrated to Hanover Street. He now made the acquaintance of Scott and other eminent men of Edinburgh, and began to engage extensively in literary work. He wrote 'Illustrations of the Author of Waverley' (Edin. 1822) and 'Traditions of Edinburgh' (2 vols. Edin. 1823, new edit. 1868). This latter work, based to a great extent on traditions that were fast dying out, is valuable and interesting. It delighted Scott, who wondered 'where the boy got all the information.' Then followed the 'Fires which have occurred in Edinburgh since the beginning of the Eighteenth Century' (Edin. 1824), 'Walks in Edinburgh' (Edin. 1825), 'Popular Rhymes of Scotland' (Edin. 1826) (one of several volumes which he published on the songs of his country), 'Picture of Scotland' (2 vols. Edin. 1826). The materials for this last work were gathered in the course of successive tours made through the districts described. He also wrote a variety of volumes for 'Constable's Miscellany.' The first of these was 'History of the Rebellion of 1745' (1828, seventh edit. 1869). This was founded to a considerable extent on unpublished sources. It is still the best known account of the rising. Other volumes were: 'History of the Rebellions in Scotland from 1638 to 1660' (1828), 'History of the Rebellions in Scotland in 1689 and 1715' (1829), 'Life of James I' (1830). Other publications about this time were: Editions of 'Scottish Ballads and Songs' (1829), of 'Scottish Jests and Anecdotes,' of which the purpose was to prove that Scotchmen were 'a witty and jocular' race; 'Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen' (4 vols. Glasgow, 1832–1834; there are various later editions), 'Jacobite Memoirs of the Rebellion of 1745' (1834; this was edited from a manuscript of Bishop Forbes). He also wrote (along with his brother) 'A Gazetteer of Scotland,' Poems (1835), 'A Life of Scott' (new edition with notes by R. Carruthers, ed. 1871), 'Land of Burns' (with Professor Wilson, Glasgow, 1840), and a large number of magazine articles. During the years thus occupied Robert's affairs had steadily grown more prosperous. 'Chambers's Journal,' of which Robert was joint editor, had been established in 1832. The undertaking was a great success, and had led to the establishment of the firm of W. & R. Chambers. The business management of what was soon a large publishing business fell on William [see ], and Robert was left to carry out his literary projects undisturbed. In 1840 he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and having soon after removed to the comparative quiet of St. Andrews, he laboured for two years at the production of 'Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation.' This well-known work is a clear and able exposition of a theory of development. When published in 1844 it excited great attention, and was bitterly attacked. The author had foreseen this. He was anxious to escape strife, he did not wish to risk a sound literary reputation honestly won in other fields, or to bring his firm into discredit; hence he published his book anonymously. Extraordinary precautions were taken to avoid detection. All the publishing arrangements were conducted through Mr. Alexander Ireland of Manchester. He got the proofs, sent them under fresh covers to Chambers, who returned them to Manchester, whence they were sent to London. The authorship was attributed to many different hands—among them were Sir Charles Lyell and Prince Albert—but people came generally to believe that Chambers was the author. In the 'Athenæum' of 2 Dec. 1854 it was said that he 'has been generally credited with the work.' The alleged heterodox opinions of the author were also used against him when, in 1848, a proposal was brought forward to make him lord provost of Edinburgh. The secret of authorship was not fully disclosed till 1884, when Mr. Ireland, the 'sole surviving depositary' of the secret, edited a twelfth edition, in an introduction to which he gave full details as to the authorship of the work. Although the book was generally considered an attack on the then orthodox mode of conceiving creation, and although Carl Vogt, the German translator, in his preface (Braunschweig, 1851), expressly praises it on this account, yet Chambers, a man of true, though unsectarian piety, did not himself so regard it. He looked upon the question as one purely scientific and non-theological. In 1845, after the fourth edition was published, he issued a temperate reply to such criticism as seemed to him most noteworthy, entitled 'Explanation; a sequel to "Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, by the author of that work. Darwin (Historical Introduction to Origin of Species) says that the work, from its 'powerful and brilliant style,' immediately had a very wide circulation. 'In my opinion it has done excellent service in this country in calling attention to the subject, in removing