Robert Boyle

The Honourable Robert Boyle (January 25, 1627 - December 30, 1691) was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, noted for his work in physics and chemistry. Although his research and personal philosophy clearly has its roots in the alchemical tradition, he is largely regarded today as the first modern chemist and among his works The Sceptical Chymist is seen as a cornerstone book in the field of chemistry.

Important works

The following are the more important of his works:

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• 1660 - New Experiments Physico-Mechanical: Touching the Spring of the Air and their Effects
• 1661 - The Sceptical Chymist
• 1663 - Considerations touching the Usefulness of Experimental Natural Philosophy (followed by a second part in 1671)
• 1663 - Experiments and Considerations upon Colours, with Observations on a Diamond that Shines in the Dark
• 1665 - New Experiments and Observations upon Cold
• 1666 - Hydrostatical Paradoxes
• 1666 - Origin of Forms and Qualities according to the Corpuscular Philosophy
• 1669 - a continuation of his work on the spring of air
• 1670 - tracts about the Cosmical Qualities of Things, the Temperature of the Subterraneal and Submarine Regions, the Bottom of the Sea, &c. with an Introduction to the History of Particular Qualities
• 1672 - Origin and Virtues of Gems
• 1673 - Essays of the strange Subtilty, great Efficacy, determinate Nature of l3ffiuvi urns
• 1674 - two volumes of tracts on the Saitness of the Sea, the Hidden Qualities of the Air, Cold, Celestial Magnets, Animadversions on Ijobbes's Problemata de Vacuo
• 1676 - Experiments and Notes about the Mechanical Origin or Production of Particular Qualities, including some notes on electricity and magnetism
• 1678 - Obsersations upon an artificial Substance that Shines without any Preceding Illustration
• 1680 - the Aerial Noctiluca
• 1682 - New Experiments and Observations upon the Icy Noctiluca
• 1682 - a further continuation of his work on the air
• 1684 - Memoirs for the Natural History of the Human Blood
• 1685 - Short Memoirs for the Natural Experimental History of Mineral Waters
• 1690 - Medic-ma Hydrostatica
• 1691 - Experimentae et Observationes Physicae

Among his religious and philosophical writings were:

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• 1648/1660 - Seraphic Love, written in 1648, but not published till 1660
• 1663 - an Essay upon the Style of the Holy Scriptures
• 1664 - Excellence of Theology compared with Natural Philosophy
• 1665 - Occasional Reflections upon Several Subjects, which was ridiculed by Swift in A Pious Meditation upon a Broom Stick, and by Butler in An Occasional Reflection on Dr Charlton's Feeling a Dog's Pulse at Gresham College
• 1675 - Some Considerations about the Reconcileableness of Reason and Religion, with a Discourse about the Possibility of the Resurrection

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