Chambers on Chambers “My Own Commencement in Business”
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LOGOS 18.4 crc 22/1/08 9:30 am Page 188 LOGOS How famous names originated* Chambers on Chambers “My own commencement in business” The Scottish publisher William Chambers Late on a Saturday evening in May 1819, my was born in the rural town of Peebles in apprenticeship [in bookselling] came to a close, and 1800 and moved with his family to I walked away with five shillings in my pocket — to Edinburgh in 1814 where he was appren- which sum my weekly wages had been latterly and ticed in the bookselling trade. As related in considerately advanced. My employer, to do him his Memoir of William and Robert every justice, offered to retain me as assistant at a reasonable salary; but I liked as little to remain as to Chambers, written in 1872 and excerpted try my luck elsewhere as a subordinate. Whether here with few changes, he opened his own influenced by my father’s harangues about indepen- shop in 1819 and later branched out into dence, or by my own natural instincts, I had formed printing and publishing. With his younger the resolution to be my own master, and concluded brother, the author Robert Chambers, in that the sooner I was so the better. And so, at nine- 1832 he founded W. & R. Chambers, Ltd., teen years of age, I was left to my shifts. producing books of Scottish interest, some The exploit was somewhat hazardous, and written by Robert. Their publishing business unless on special grounds, I would not recommend prospered, and in 1859 — the year in which it to be followed. Society is composed of employers the ten-volume Chambers’ Encyclopaedia and employed. All cannot be masters. The first appeared — William Chambers founded employed may happen to be the best off of the two; a museum and art gallery in his native town at all events, they are burdened with less responsi- of Peebles. Later in life, as Lord Provost of bility. My resolution, therefore, to fight my way, inch by inch, entirely on my own account, was, I Edinburgh, he was responsible for the acknowledge, an eccentricity. Yet, who can lay restoration of St Giles Cathedral. The down any precise rule on this point? acclaimed publisher and politician died in Looking at all available circumstances, every Edinburgh in 1883. one must think for himself, and take the conse- quences. In the ordinary view of affairs, my prospects were not particularly cheering. Exclusive of the five shillings in my pocket, I was without any pecuniary reliance whatsoever. There were, however, some things in my favour. As in my [brother Robert’s] case, I had youth, health, hope, resolution, and was as free from expensive habits and tastes as from any species of embarrassing obli- gation. There was nothing to keep me back, unless it might be the comparatively narrow scope for individual exertion in our northern capital [of Edinburgh]. At that time, however, I knew nothing personally of London and its illimitable field of operation. The best had to be made of what was *The second of a series of articles on the stories behind well- within reach. Fortunately, I continued still to have known company names in publishing and bookselling. no acquaintances whom it was necessary to consult 188 LOGOS 18/4 ©2007 LOGOS LOGOS 18.4 crc 22/1/08 9:30 am Page 189 Chambers on Chambers — had no giddy companions, who would have success of my brother in his enterprise pointed out been ready enough to jeer me out of schemes of a line of business that might with advantage be humble self-reliance. I had no dread of losing caste, followed. As Leith Walk happens to be identified because I had no artificial position to lose; and as in an amusing way with his as well as my own early for losing self-respect, that entirely depends on career, I may say a few words respecting it ... conduct and the motives by which it is influenced. Leith Walk may be described as a broad kind It will be seen that I was not without the kind of of Boulevard stretching nearly a mile in length ambition which is indispensable to success. On between Edinburgh and the seaport, and as being that very account, I treated all immediate difficul- constantly used as a thoroughfare by merchants, ties, or humiliations, as of no moment. clerks, strangers and seafaring people. In the early Circumstances concurred to get me over the years of the present century, it was the daily resort first step, which is always the most difficult. The of a multiplicity of odd-looking dependents on public charity — such as old blind fiddlers, seated My future prospects were by the wayside; sailors deficient in a leg or an arm, with long queues hanging down their backs, who not particularly cheering; were always singing ballads about sea-fights; and my resolution, therefore, cripples of various sorts ... Besides its hosts of to fight my way entirely mendicants, the Walk was garnished with small on my own account, I shops for the sale of shells, corals, and other foreign curiosities. It was also provided with a number of acknowledge, was an petty public-houses; but its greatest attraction was a eccentricity. show of wax-work, at the entrance of which sat the 189 LOGOS 18/4 ©2007 LOGOS.