BOYARS, the old nobility of Russia, whose undue influence in the State was broken by Peter the Great; also the landed aristocracy of Roumania.

BOYCE, WILLIAM, composer, chiefly of church music, born in London; published a collection of the “Cathedral Music of the Old English Masters”; composed “Hearts of Oak,” a naval song sung by ships’ crews at one time before going into action (1710-1779).

BOYCOTT, CAPTAIN, an Irish landlord’s agent in Connemara, with whom the population of the district in 1880 refused to have any dealings on account of disagreements with the tenantry.

BOYD, ANDREW KENNEDY HUTCHISON, a Scottish clergyman and writer; bred for the bar, but entered the Church; known to fame as A. K. H. B.; author of “Recreations of a Country Parson,” which was widely read, and of Reminiscences of his life; died at Bournemouth by mischance of swallowing a lotion instead of a sleeping-draught (1825-1899).

BOYD, ZACHARY, a Scottish divine; regent of a Protestant college at Samur, in France; returned to Scotland in consequence of the persecution of the Huguenots; became minister of Barony Parish, Glasgow, and rector of the University; preached before Cromwell after the battle of Dunbar; author of the “Last Battell of the Soule in Death” and “Zion’s Flowers,” being mainly metrical versions of Scripture, called “Boyd’s Bible” (1585-1653).

BOYDELL, JOHN, an English engraver and print-seller, famous for his “Shakespeare Gallery,” with 96 plates in illustration of Shakespeare, and the encouragement he gave to native artists; he issued also Hume’s “History of England,” with 196 plates in illustration (1719-1804).

BOYER, BARON, French anatomist and surgeon; attendant on Napoleon, afterwards professor in the University of Paris; wrote works on anatomy and surgical diseases, which continued for long text-books on those subjects; was a man of very conservative opinions (1757-1833).

BOYER, JEAN PIERRE, president of Hayti, born at Port-au-Prince of a negress and a Creole father; secured the independence of the country; held the presidency for 25 years from 1818, but suspected of consulting his own advantage more than that of the country, was driven from power by a revolution in 1843; retired to Paris, where he spent the rest of his life and died (1776-1850).

BOYLE, CHARLES, fourth Earl of Orrery, distinguished for the connection of his name with the Bentley controversy, and for its connection with an astronomical contrivance by one Graham to illustrate the planetary system (1676-1731).

BOYLE, RICHARD, first and great Earl of Cork, distinguished among Irish patriots and landlords for what he did to improve his estates and develop manufactures and the mechanical arts in Ireland, also for the honours conferred upon him for his patriotism; when Cromwell saw how his estates were managed he remarked, that had there been one like him in every province in Ireland rebellion would have been impossible (1566-1643).