… compiled from the best authors,’ &c., with an elaborate preface explaining the plan of the work, and attempting a classification of knowledge. The price of the book was four guineas, but its value was at once recognised, and procured for its compiler the honour in 1729 of being elected a member of the Royal Society. A new edition being called for, Chambers resolved to recast the first on a plan explained in a paper of ‘Considerations,’ of which (as of the first edition of the ‘Cyclopædia’) there is no copy in the library of the British Museum. It is to them that Johnson probably referred when he told Boswell that he had ‘formed his style’ partly upon ‘Chambers's proposal for his Dictionary’ (Boswell's Johnson, edition of 1848, p. 69, and note by Malone). A clause in a bill introduced into parliament compelling the publishers of an improved edition of a work to issue the improvements separately led to the abandonment of the recast, and in 1738 simply a second edition was issued with some alterations and additions. In 1739 a third edition appeared, and after the compiler's death a fourth in 1741, followed by a fifth in 1746—in the case of such a work a singularly rapid sale. A French translation of it gave rise to Diderot's and D'Alembert's ‘Encyclopédie,’ and the English original was finally expanded into Rees's once well-known ‘Encyclopædia.’ Chambers is said to have edited, and he certainly contributed to, the ‘Literary Magazine … by a Society of Gentlemen,’ 1735–7, which consisted mainly of reviews of the chief new books. He translated from the French of Jean Dubreuil the ‘Practice of Perspective,’ 4th edition, 1765, and co-operated with John Martyn, the botanist, in an abridged translation of the ‘Philosophical History and Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris,’ 5 vols. 1742. During his later years he paid a visit to France in search of health, and is said to have rejected a promising invitation to issue there an edition (translation?) of his ‘Cyclopædia’ and dedicate it to Louis XV. He left behind him a manuscript account of his French visit, which has never been published; but some letters to his wife descriptive of it and on other subjects are printed in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ lvii. 314, 351. As an author he was liberally and as an invalid most kindly treated by the first Thomas Longman, the founder of the publishing house of that name, who during Chambers's lifetime became the largest shareholder in the ‘Cyclopædia.’ Chambers was an avowed freethinker, irascible, kind to the poor, and extremely frugal. He died 15 May 1740, and was buried in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, where, in an epitaph of his own composition, he describes himself as ‘multis pervulgatus, paucis notus; qui vitam inter lucem et umbram, nec eruditus, nec idiota, literis deditus, transegit.’
[Gent. Mag. for September 1785; Univ. Mag. for January 1785; Biog. Brit. (Kippis); Chalmers's Biog. Dict.; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. v. 659, &c.; Histories of Publishing Houses (by the writer of this article), the House of Longman, in the Critic for March 1860.]
CHAMBERS, GEORGE (1803–1840), marine painter, born in 1803, was the son of a Whitby seaman. When ten years old he was sent to sea in a coasting vessel, and was afterwards apprenticed to the master of a brig trading in the Mediterranean and Baltic. He was early devoted to drawing, and pleased his skipper and crew by making sketches of different kinds of vessels, so much so that at the boy's request the captain cancelled his indentures in order that he might give himself wholly to painting. Returning to Whitby he got employment as a house-painter. In the spare time which was allowed him from this occupation he took lessons in drawing. For three years he continued in this way; then, becoming impatient, he worked his way to London in a trading vessel. Here he made drawings of ships and did generally what he could for a living, till, fortunately, he attracted the attention of the then important Mr. T. Horner, and was engaged for seven years on the painting of that gentleman's great panorama of London. After this he became scene-painter at the Pavilion Theatre. His paintings attracted the attention of Admiral Lord Mark Kerr, and through him he was introduced to William IV. He painted in water colours as well as in oils, was elected an associate of the Water-Colour Society in 1834, and in 1836 a full member. He was a very frequent exhibitor at this society's galleries and at the Royal Academy of marine pictures, his naval battles being considered his best. Two important oil paintings by Chambers are in the collection of marine pictures at Greenwich: ‘The Bombardment of Algiers in 1816,’ and the ‘Capture of Portobello.’ He was in a fair way to more than ordinary success, but his naturally weak constitution was worn out, and he died on 28 Oct. 1840. He had married young, and left a widow and children unprovided for. Among artists who showed kindness to the family were Turner and Clarkson Stanfield. The former ‘gave 10l. to the widow and attended the sale (of his pictures, &c.) on purpose to help it.’ The latter put the last touches on a painting which the artist had left unfinished.
