ROBERT CHAMBERS was originally destined for the Church, and his parents therefore endeavoured to give him an education which would fit him for it; but their poverty and the misfortunes of the family made the pursuit of knowledge peculiarly difficult to him. It is interesting to read, however, with what perseverance and energy the young scholar prosecuted his studies, often benumbed with cold and suffering from hunger. He describes himself as "half-starved, unsympathised with, and looking for no comfort at home;" yet he composed verses in English and Latin, and read the classical authors with avidity. Antiquarian researches also occupied his mind, and in exploring the historical remains of his native country he often forgot his own troubles. His brother and biographer says, "He laid the foundation of much that was afterwards of value in literature, and I cannot remember that he even spent a moment in what was purely amusing or of no practical avail. The acquisition of knowledge was with him the highest of earthly enjoyments."

And it was well that it was so, for his trials were great even at a nearly period of his life. He describes himself as reading *Horace and conning his dictionary by the miserable light of a mean kitchen fire in his wretched lodgings, and shivering with cold. He writes of himself: "What a miserable winter that was! Yet I cannot help feeling proud of my trials at that time. My brother William and I-he then between fifteen and sixteen, I between thirteen and fourteen -had made a resolution together that we would exercise the last degree of self-denial. My brother actually saved money off his income. I remember seeing him take five-and-twenty shillings out of a closed box which he kept to receive his savings; and that was the spare money of only a twelvemonth. I daresay the *Potter-row itself never sheltered two divinity students of such abstinent habits as ours. My father's prospects blackened towards the end of the winter; and even the small cost of my board and lodging at length became too much for him. I then for some time spent the night at *Joppa Pans, and regularly every morning walked, lame as I was, to Edinburgh to attend school. Through all these distresses, I preserved the best of health, though perhaps my long fasts at so critical a period of life repressed my growth. A darker period than even this ensued: my father lost his situation, and I was withdrawn from a course of learning which it was seen I should never be able to complete."

Mourning the ruin of his long-cherished hopes,

with only his Horace and a few other Latin books, over which he would pore lovingly for hours, he tried to overcome his despair, and to make an effort at self-reliance. Though only a youth of fifteen years of age, he got a little private teaching to do,which, however, soon ceased, and he felt himself, as he expresses it, at the "bottom of the wheel." Now came the time to rise, and he determined to exert all his faculties. Having the blessings of youth, health, and a fair education, he felt that he could. and would overcome by honest industry the misfortunes into which he had been plunged through no fault of his own. Amongst the family relics of better days were a few old books, which had been dragged from place to place and were next to useless. The whole of them ranged in order would have occupied perhaps twelve feet of a book-shelf. With this stock-in-trade Robert Chambers began business. He was but sixteen years of age, and from that time supported himself entirely, as his brother had done from an earlier age. In a letter which he wrote in after life to his friend *Hugh Miller, he says, "I have sometimes thought of describing my bitter painful youth to the world, as something in which it might read a lesson; but the retrospect is still too distressing. I screen it from the mental eye. The one grand fact it has impressed is the very small amount of brotherly assistance there is for the unfortunate in this world. . . . Till I proved that I could help myself, no friend came to me."

His privations and struggles to live were at this time very great, and shared greatly by his brother William, who soon after, having finished his own apprenticeship, determined likewise to begin business on his own account; but there seemed no possibility of his doing so, as Robert had cleared his father's house of all its old books, and there was nothing left to begin upon. In the course of this year Robert's stock-in-trade had by careful management increased to the value of about twenty pounds, and his enterprise seemed likely to succeed.

Accident brought the elder brother in contact with a friendly and active bookseller's agent, who went to Edinburgh to hold a trade sale on his way to London. The lad made himself very useful during the sale, and whilst helping to pack the books up for the agent previous to his departure for London, he was questioned as to his plans. He stated that he was about to begin business, but that he had no money; if he had he would like much to buy a few of such books as were before him.

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'Well," replied the agent, "I like that frankness; you seem an honest lad, and have been useful to me; so do not let the want of money trouble you; select, if you please, ten pounds' worth of my samples, and I will let you have the usual credit."

Mr. Chambers says, "That was a turning-point in my life. In a strange and unforeseen manner, I was to be put in possession of a small collection of saleable books, sufficient to establish me in business.

Gladly embracing the offer, I selected a parcel of books great and small, to the value of ten pounds, which I proceeded to pack into an empty tea-chest, and carry off without incurring the aid or expense of a porter. Borrowing the hotel truck, I wheeled the chest to my shop in Leith Walk; elated, it may be supposed, in no ordinary degree at this fortunate incident, and not the least afraid of turning the penny long before the day of payment came

round."

With five shillings in his pocket, which he had taken as his last week's wages from his master, he purchased some deal boards, and soon constructed, with saw, hammer, and nails, a sort of little bookstand and a pair of tressels on which to exhibit his wares to the public. Thus he, the celebrated and highly esteemed publisher of the northern metropolis, began business in the streets of Edinburgh behind a bookstall. The account he gives of his first customer, his anxieties and successes, must act as an encouragement to all young lads with energy, will, and ambition to help themselves. By degrees he added stationery to his books, and afterwards flutes; but in all his dealings he was guided by good sense and prudence.

After a while the art of letter-press printing was added to his achievements, and he became possessed of a printing machine by the use of which he turned many an honest penny. Handbills, little books of songs, and so forth, were produced by this very squeaky, jingling, creaky little press, which he kept