Boyle, The Hon. Robert, a distinguished natural philosopher, born at Lismore, of the Orrery family; devoted his life and contributed greatly to science, especially chemistry, as well as pneumatics; was one of the originators of the “Royal Society”; being a student of theology, founded by his will an endowment for the “Boyle Lectures” in defence of Christianity against its opponents and rivals; refused the presidentship of the Royal Society, and declined a peerage (1626‒1691).
Definition taken from The Nuttall Encyclopædia, edited by the Reverend James Wood (1907)
Boyle, Richard * Boyle Lectures