VI PREFACE. 



However humble their path of life, however unpretentious 

 their labour, such men have a claim to some little niche, 

 where the memory of their faithful service may be kept 

 green. 



A friend once wrote to Dr. Samuel Smiles, the author of 

 " Lives of the Engineers " " I do not begrudge destructive 

 heroes their fame, but the constructive ones ought not to be 

 forgotten, and there is a heroism in skill and toil belonging 

 to the latter class worthy of as grateful record, less perilous 

 and romantic it may be than that of the other, but not less 

 full of the results of human energy, bravery, and character. 

 The lot of labour is indeed often a dull one, and it is doing 

 a public service to endeavour to lighten it up by records of 

 the struggles and triumphs of our most illustrious workers, 

 and the results of their labour in the cause of human 

 advancement." 



The life of Mr. Kobert Boyle was not distinguished by 

 any highly sensational or stirring vicissitudes : it was a 

 simple career of very hard work, always directed to one end 

 the public good. Yet, comparatively barren though it be 

 of exciting incidents, the record of his labours has a special 

 claim to attention. It exhibits very forcibly many sound 



