cess, but in spite of frequent
revivals has never succeeded in firmly establishing itself in popular
favour. Boito treated the Faust legend in a spirit far more nearly akin
to the conception of Goethe than is found in Gounod's Faust, but, in
spite of many isolated beauties, his opera lacks cohesion and dramatic
interest. His energies were afterwards chiefly devoted to the
composition of libretti, of which the principal are _Otello_ and
_Falstaff_, set to music by Verdi; _La Gioconda_, set by Ponchielli;
_Amleto_, set by Faccio; and _Ero e Leandre_, set by Bottesini and
Mancinelli. These works display a rare knowledge of the requirements of
dramatic poetry, together with uncommon literary value. Boito also
published a book of poems and a novel, _L'Alfier Meno_. The degree of
doctor of music was conferred upon him in 1893 by the university of
Cambridge.

BOIVIN, FRANCOIS DE, Baron de Villars (d. 1618), French chronicler,
entered the service of Charles, Marshal Brissac, as secretary, and
accompanied him to Piedmont in 1550 when the marshal went to take
command of the French troops in the war with Spain. Remaining in this
service he was sent after the defeat of the French at St Quentin in 1557
to assure the French king Henry II. of the support of Brissac. He took
part in the negotiations which led to the treaty of Cateau-Cambresis in
April 1559, but was unable to prevent Henry II. from ceding the
conquests made by Brissac. Boivin wrote _Memoires sur les guerres
demelees tant dans le Piemont qu'au Montferrat et duche de Milan par
Charles de Cosse, comte de Brissac_ (Paris, 1607), which, in spite of
some drawbacks, is valuable as the testimony of an eye-witness of the
war. An edition, carefully revised, appears in the _Memoires relatifs a
l'histoire de France_, tome x., edited by J.F. Michaud and J.J.F.
Poujoulat (Paris, 1850). He also wrote _Instruction sur les affaires
d'etat_ (Lyons, 1610).

See J. Lelong, _Bibliotheque historique de la France_ (Paris,
1768-1778).

BOKENAM, OSBERN (1393?-1447?), English author, was born, by his own
account, on the 6th of October 1393. Dr Horstmann suggests that he may
have been a native of Bokeham, now Bookham, in Surrey, and derived his
name from the place. In a concluding note to his _Lives of the Saints_
he is described as "a Suffolke man, frere Austyn of Stoke Clare." He
travelled in Italy on at least two occasions, and in 1445 was a pilgrim
to Santiago de Compostel