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the eldest son, received a fair elementary education at Peebles * 
but as, owing to the father’s misfortune, his school days terminated 
with his thirteenth year, his education for life-work was mainly 
due to the habit, very early acquired and long maintained, of 
miscellaneous and extensive reading. The household migrated to 
Edinburgh in 1813, and next year William was apprenticed to a 
bookseller. Immediately after his five years’ apprenticeship was 
out, he began business in a very humble way for himself, and soon 
added to bookselling the occupation of a jobbing-printer. He by- 
and-by ventured to print and publish small pamphlets written or 
compiled by himself or his younger brother Eobert, also established 
as a bookseller in Edinburgh. Through much industry, care, and 
economy they each prospered, and by 1825 what they called their 
“dark ages” had closed for ever. In 1825 William produced 
The Booh of Scotland , and had a share with his brother in compil- 
ing a gazetteer; but it was the Chambers's Edinburgh Journal , 
projected and started by "William in 1832, that brought great and 
permanent success to both brothers. Erom the beginning, Eobert 
was the most important contributor to the Journal ; and a month 
or two after it was fairly afloat, the two brothers united their 
resources and enterprise under the now so well known firm of 
W. & E. Chambers. Other important publications of the firm were 
the Information for the People (1833); the Educational Course , 
comprising an extensive series of text-books in history, science, and 
literature ; the Miscellany ; the Encyclopaedia (10 vols., 1859-1868); 
the Cyclopaedia of Literature , and numerous works by Eobert 
Chambers. In 1859 the elder brother presented his native town 
with a public library, reading room, and museum. In 1865 he 
was chosen Lord Provost of the city of Edinburgh, and in this 
capacity carried out a very important measure for the improvement 
of the city, by substituting healthy houses and airy streets for lanes 
and closes of pestiferous hovels. He was the chief promoter of a 
partial restoration of the ancient Kirk of St Giles; and in 1878-83 
he carried out a more complete and extensive restoration at his own 
expense. He found time to write an admirable county history of 
Peeblesshire (1864), a short history of France, sketches of tours in 
Holland, America, Italy, and France, various other short works, and 
a memoir (with autobiographical reminiscences) of his brother Eobert, 
