This volume presents selected correspondence of Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh (1615–1691), highlighting the important role she played in the intellectual and political circles of seventeenth-century England and Ireland. The letters chart Ranelagh's life, from her besiegement in Athlone in 1641 until her death in 1691. Ranelagh has often been considered alongside her famous brother, Robert Boyle (1627–1691), but the correspondence reveals that Ranelagh had a scholarly reputation in her own right. It showcases the varied nature of Ranelagh's writing. This includes prophetical discussions with Benjamin Worsley (1618–1673), theological discussions with John Beale (c.1608–1683), a discourse on the philosopher's stone, and discussions with Anthony Dopping (1643–1697) regarding the first version of the Old Testament in Irish. It also includes familial correspondence that engaged with political events of the time and illuminates Ranelagh's role in offering medical, educational, and financial advice to family members and friends.
