B O " 
* 
itig' of this noblefnah, fays, he.never made a bad figure but 
as a poet. He had iffue two fons and five daughters. 
BOYLE (Robert), a mod diftinguifhed philosopher and 
chemilt, was the feventh fon and the fourteenth child of 
Richard great earl of Cork before-mentioned, and was born 
at Lifmore, in the province of Munder, in Ireland, the 
23 th of January, 1627; the very year of the death of the 
learned lord Bacon, vvliofe plans of experimental philofo- 
phy Mr. Boyle afterwards fo ably feconded. While very 
young, he was inftrufted in his father’s houfe to read and 
write, aiid to fpeak French and Latin. In 1635, when only 
eight years old, he was brought to England, and educated 
at Eton fchool. Here he difcovered an extraordinary force 
ef underfhtnding, with a difpofition to cultivate and im¬ 
prove it to the utmod. After remaining at Eton between 
three and four years, his father fent him with his brother 
Francis, in 1638, on their travels upon the continent. They 
paded through France to Geneva, where they fettled for 
fome time to purfue their dudies. In 1641, he quitted 
Geneva, and travelled through Swifferland and Italy to 
Venice, from whence he came to Florence, where he fpent 
the winter, ftudying the Italian language and hidory, and 
the works of the celebrated adronomer Galileo, who died 
in a village near this city during Mr. Boyle’s relidence here. 
About the end of March, 1642, he fet out from Florence, 
vifited Rome-, and other places in Italy, and then returned 
to the fouth of France. At Marfeilles he received letters 
from his-father, which informed him that a rebellion had 
broken out in Ireland, and with how much difficulty he 
had procured 230I. then remitted to help him and his bro¬ 
ther home. This remittance however never reached them, 
and they were obliged to return to Geneva with their pre¬ 
ceptor, Mr. Marcombes, who contrived on his own cre¬ 
dit, and by felling fome jewels, to raife money enough to 
fend them to England in 1644. On their arrival they found 
their father was dead, and had left our author the manor 
of Stalbridge in Dorfetlhire, with fome other confiderable 
efiates in Ireland. From this time Mr. Boyle’s chief re- 
fidence, for fome years at lead, was at his manor of Stal¬ 
bridge, from whence he made occafional excurfions to Ox¬ 
ford, London, &c. applying himfelf with great induftry to 
various kinds of (Indies, but particularly to philofophy and 
chemiltry ; and feizing every opportunity of cultivating 
the acquaintance of the mod learned men of his time. He 
was one of the members of that fmall but learned body, 
who, when all academical dudies were interrupted by the 
civil wars, fecreted themfelves about the year 1645 ; and 
held private meetings, fird in London, afterwards at Ox¬ 
ford, to cultivate fubjedts of natural knowledge, upon 
that plan of experiment which lord Bacon had delineated. 
They dyled themfelves The Philofophic College ■ but after 
the redoration, when they were incorporated, and didin- 
gtiiflied openly, they took the name of The Royal Society. 
In the dimmer of 1654, he determined to fettle at Ox¬ 
ford, the philofophical fociety being removed from Lon¬ 
don to that place, that he might enjoy the converfation of 
the other learned members, his friends, who had retired 
thither, fuch as Wilkins, Wallis, Ward, Willis, Wren, &c. 
It was during his relidence here that he invented that ad¬ 
mirable engine the air-pump ; which was perfected for 
him by the ingenious Mr. Robert Hooke, and then called 
Machina Boyliana. By this he made a number of experi¬ 
ments, and was enabled to difcover feveral qualities of the 
air, fo as to lay a foundation for a complete theory. Fie 
declared againd the philofophy of Aridotle, as having in 
it more of words than things; promifing much, and per¬ 
forming little ; and giving the inventions of men for in¬ 
dubitable proofs, indead ot building upon obfervation and 
experiment. He was fo zealous for this true method of 
learning by experiment, and fo careful about it, that though 
the Cartefian philofophy then made a great node in the 
world, yet he could never be perfuaded to read the works 
of Defcartes, for fear he fhould be amufed and led away 
by plaufible accounts of things founded on conjecture, and 
merely hypothetical. But philofophy, and enuuiries into 
Vol. III. No, 133, 
G G, 3 VJ 
nature, though they engaged his attention deeply, did not 
occupy hint entirely ; as he (till continued to purfue criti¬ 
cal and theological (Indies. He had offers of preferment 
to enter into holy orders, by the government, after the re- 
ftoration : but he declined the offer, chooling rather to pur- 
Hie his (Indies as a layman, in fuch a manner as might be 
molt effectual for the fupport of religion; and began to 
communicate to the world the fruits of tiiefe Itudies. 
Thefe fruits were very numerous and important, as well 
as various : the principal of which, as well as of fome 
other memorable occurrences of his life, were nearly in 
the following order. 
In 1660 came out, 1. New Experiments, Phyfico-mc- 
chanical, touching the Spring of the Air and its Effects, 
2. Seraphic Love; pathetically difeourfed of in a letter to 
a friend. 3. Certain Phyfiological Elfays, and otherTraCts, 
in 1661. 4. Sceptical Chemilt, 1662; reprinted about the 
year 1679, with the addition of divers experiments and 
notes on the produciblenefs of chemical principles. About 
this time a grant of the forfeited impropriations in the 
kingdom of Ireland was obtained from the king in Mr. 
Boyle’s name, though without his knowledge; which ne- 
verthelefs did not hinder him from interelling himfelf very 
warmly, from procuring the application of thofe impro¬ 
priations to the promoting religion and learning. He in- 
terpofed likewife in favour of the corporation for propa¬ 
gating the gofpel in New England ; and was very inltru- 
mental in obtaining a decree in the court of chancery, for 
relioring to that corporation an elfate which had been in- 
jurioufly taken from it. His activity in matters of this 
nature was fo much the more honourable, as his inclina¬ 
tion led hint generally to be private and retired. But 
■whenever the caufe of virtue, learning, or religion, re¬ 
quired it, liis intereft and endeavours were never want¬ 
ing ; and, what is very remarkable, were feldom employ¬ 
ed but with fuccefs. I11 1663, the Royal Society being 
incorporated by Charles II. Mr. Boyle -as named one of 
the council; and, as he might juftly be reckoned among 
the founders of that learned body, fo he continued one of 
the moll ufeful and indullrious of its members.during the 
whole courfe of his life. His next publications were, 5.. 
Confiderations touching the Ufefulnefs of Experimental and 
Natural Philofophy, 1663. 6. Experiments and Conlidera- 
tions upon Colours; to which was added a letter, contain¬ 
ing Obfervations on a Diamond that fhines in the Dark, 
1663. This treadle is full of curious and ufeful remarks 
on the hitherto unexplained doctrine of light and colours ; 
in which he ihews great judgrrient, accuracy, and pene¬ 
tration ; and which may be laid to have led the way to, 
Newton, who made fuch great difeoveries in that branch 
of phyfics. 7. Confiderations on the Style of the Holy 
Scriptures, 1663. This was an extract from a larger work, 
intit led An Effay on Scripture ; which was afterwards pub- 
lifhed by Sir Peter Pett, a friend of Mr. Boyle’s. In 1064, 
he was defied into the company of the royal mines ; and 
was all this year occupied in profecudng various good de- 
figns, which was probably the re-afon that he did not pub- 
liili any works in this year. Soon after came out, 8. Oc- 
calional-Refleftions upon feveral Subjects, 1665; which 
drew upon him the cenfure of the celebrated dean Swift. 
In Augull this year, Mr. Boyle was nominated by the 
king, to the provoftlhip of Eton college ; but, contrary to 
the advice of iiis friends, he abfolutely. declined it. He 
next publiflied, 9. New Experiments and Obfervations up¬ 
on Cold, 1665. 10. Hydroftatical Paradoxes made out by 
new Experiments, 16(^,6. n. The Origin of Forms and 
Qualities, according to the Corpufcular Philofophy, 1666. 
Both in this and the former year he communicated to his 
friend Mr. Oldenburgh, fecretary to the Royal.Society, 
feveral curious and excellent pieces, upon a great variety 
offubjeCts, which.are printed in the Phil. Tranf. 
In 166S, Mr. Boyle refolved to fettle in London for life; 
and for that purpoie he removed, to the houfe of his lifter, 
lady Ranelagh, in Pall-mall. This removal was to the 
great benefit of the learned in general, and particularly of 
4 thep 
