CHAMBERS

chambers, ephraim (d. 1740), english encyclopaedist, was born at kendal, westmorland, in the latter part of the 17th century. he was apprenticed to a globe-maker in london, but having conceived the plan of his cyclopaedia, or _universal dictionary of arts and sciences_, he devoted himself entirely to it. the first edition appeared by subscription in 1728, in two vols. fol., and dedicated to the king (see encyclopaedia). the _encyclopedie_ of diderot and d'alembert owed its inception to a french translation of chambers's work. in addition to the _cyclopaedia_, chambers wrote for the _literary magazine_ (1735-1736), and translated the _history and memoirs of the royal academy of sciences at paris_ (1742), and the _practice of perspective_ from the french of jean dubreuil. he died on the 15th of may 1740.