EDWARD, descended from an ancient family, was born in Gloucestershire 1616, and made the tour of Europe during the distractions of the civil war. After the Restoration, he went as secretary with the earl of Carlisle, who carried the order of the Garter to the king of Sweden; was appointed tutor to the duke of Grafton, natural son of Charles II. and was afterwards pitched on to instruct Prince George of Denmark in the English tongue. He died in 1703, and was buried in a vault in Chelsea churchyard: his monumental inscription mentions six books of his writing; and that he was so desirous of doing service to posterity, that he ordered some copies of his books to be covered with wax, and buried with him. That work by which he is best known, is his Anglice Notitiae, or the Present State of England, which has been often since printed.

JOHN, son to the author of "The Present State of England," and continuator of that useful work, was admitted into Trinity College, Oxford, 1685; but it doth not appear that he took any degree. Beside the Continuation just mentioned, he was author of "Dissertations historical, critical, theological, and moral, on the most memorable events of the Old and New Testaments, with Chronological Tables;" one vol. that taste for science and learning which accompanied Chambers through life, and directed all his pursuits. It was even at this time that he formed the design of his grand work, the "Cyclopaedia;" and some of the first articles of it were written behind the counter. Having conceived the idea of so great an undertaking, he justly concluded that the execution of it would not confit with the avocations of trade; and therefore he quitted Mr Senex, and took chambers at Gray's Inn, where he chiefly resided during the rest of his days.

The first edition of the Cyclopaedia, which was the result of many years intense application, appeared in 1728, in two vols. folio. It was published by subscription, the price being 4l. 4s.; and the list of subscribers was very respectable. The dedication, which was to the king, is dated October 15, 1727. The reputation that Mr Chambers acquired by his execution of this undertaking, procured him the honour of being elected F.R.S. November 6, 1729. In less than 10 years time a second edition became necessary; which accordingly was printed, with corrections and additions, in 1738; and was followed by a third the very next year.

Although the Cyclopaedia was the grand business of Mr Chambers's life, and may be regarded as almost the sole foundation of his fame, his attention was not wholly confined to this undertaking. He was concerned in a periodical publication, entitled, "The Literary Magazine," which was begun in 1735. In this work he wrote a variety of articles, and particularly a review of Morgan's "Moral Philosophy." He was engaged likewise, in conjunction with Mr John Martyn, F.R.S. and professor of botany at Cambridge, in preparing for the press a translation and abridgment of the "Philosophical History and Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, or an Abridgment of all the Papers relating to Natural Philosophy, which have been published by the Members of that illustrious Society." This undertaking, when completed, was comprised in five volumes, 8vo, which did not appear till 1742, some time after our author's decease, when they were published under the joint names of Mr Martyn and Mr Chambers. Mr Martyn, in a subsequent publication, hath passed a severe censure upon the share which his fellow-labourer had in the abridgment of the Parisian papers. The only work besides, that we find ascribed to Mr Chambers, is a translation of the Jesuit's Perspective, from the French; which was printed in 4to, and hath gone through several editions. Mr Chambers's close and unremitting attention to his studies at length impaired his health, and obliged him occasionally to take a lodging at Canonbury-house, Illington. This not having greatly contributed to his recovery, he made an excursion to the south of France, but did not reap that benefit from it which he had himself hoped, and his friends wished. Returning to England, he died at Canonbury-house, and was buried at Westminster; where the following inscription, written by himself, is placed on the north side of the cloisters of the Abbey:

Multis pervulgatis, Paucis notus; Qui vitam, inter lucem et umbram, Nec cruditus, nec idiota,

Literis After the author's death two more editions of his Cyclopaedia were published. A supplement, which extended to two volumes more, was afterwards compiled; and in the year 1778 was published an edition of both, incorporated into one alphabet, by Dr Rees, which was completed in four volumes folio. Another edition which is now (1803) going on, and is to extend to 20 vols. 4to, has been undertaken by the same gentleman.