Robert Chambers, who was well known to his contemporaries as a writer and publisher, was the anonymous author of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (1844), a controversial book about biological evolution. Despite widespread debate and speculation about the authorship of the book, Chambers managed to keep his secret throughout his lifetime.

The publishing firm of W. and R. Chambers, Ltd. grew from a modest bookstall in Edinburgh established by Robert Chambers in 1818. In 1832 Robert and his brother William began publishing Chambers's Edinburgh Journal. The Chambers brothers also published a very successful series of textbooks for young children. Chambers's Educational Course, which included Robert's Introduction to the Sciences(1836), was widely used in schools. In 1859, Robert and William began publication of Chambers's Encyclopedia. The first edition, consisting of 10 volumes, was completed in 1868. Chambers's Encyclopedia earned a solid reputation for its international scope and its scholarly treatment of historical subjects...