REVIEWS
"This is a thorough and carefully considered intellectual biography which will become a mainstay for those seeking to learn about 'philosophical' British women of the seventeenth century, at last letting us hear Lady Ranelagh's voice alongside contemporaries like Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway, and Lucy Hutchinson as well as her famous brother. DiMeo offers a judicious, comprehensive view of the life and thought of her subject."
— Harold J. Cook, author of The Young Descartes: Nobility, Rumor, and War
"Lady Ranelagh was one of the most remarkable women of her day, and it is wonderful at last to have a book-length study of her. DiMeo meticulously weaves together the fragmentary surviving sources to provide a clear and convincing picture of a truly great figure. She illustrates the extraordinary range of eminent peers on whom Lady Ranelagh had real influence, throwing especially important light on her role in the emotional and intellectual development of her brother, the scientist Robert Boyle. Some of the most telling passages in the book deal with Lady Ranelagh's medical expertise, where she benefited from the lack of clear demarcation between professional and lay practice at the time. DiMeo also has important things to say about the significance of gender in intellectual life, illustrating how a woman like Lady Ranelagh retained an unexpectedly significant role behind the scenes, albeit one subsequently largely effaced. In all, this lucid and revealing biography is indispensable."
— Michael Hunter, author of The Decline of Magic: Britain in the Enlightenment
"Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh, was a remarkable woman who played an important role in the intellectual and political circles of her day. However, the loss of most of her writings has meant that, until now, she has been remembered (if at all) only as the sister of her famous brother, the natural philosopher Robert Boyle. DiMeo's excellent biographical study is a feat of historical detective work and reconstruction, which restores Katherine Ranelagh to visibility as a prominent collaborator and mentor at the center of events in the scientific and political history of seventeenth-century Ireland and England."
— Sarah Hutton, University of York
"In this sensitive and inspiring biography, DiMeo resuscitates from fragmentary and forgotten evidence a leading religiopolitical reformer and strategist during Britain’s civil wars, medical practitioner in a period of transformation, and natural philosopher at the founding of the Royal Society. Lady Ranelagh’s invisibility today, like that of other female intellectuals of the time, is ironically a tribute to her success in this role in the past. Without DiMeo’s sleuthing, Ranelagh’s ideas, arguments, and experiences—hidden in her letters, within her brother’s writings, and in the many dedications acknowledging her collaboration—would be forgotten forever."
— Pamela H. Smith, Seth Low Professor of History, Columbia University
"DiMeo reveals Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh, as central to political, religious, philosophical and medical discussions, yet destined to be forgotten, because she obeyed the convention that women should not put their thoughts into print. DiMeo . . . has used her archival skills to trawl the papers of Ranelagh's mostly male contemporaries to uncover her role as a public intellectual. . . . DiMeo is scrupulous in tethering her observations to their archival sources. . . . That [Ranelagh's] story is gathered from the papers of her male relatives and associates highlights how easy it is for women to fall through the cracks of history."
— Nature
"Ranelagh's works were never published nor were her manuscripts preserved . . . . To address this, historian Michelle DiMeo has written the first full-length biography of Ranelagh by gleaning details of her life from her correspondence and the archives and writings of her relatives and contemporaries. The result is a detailed account of this notable woman, her work, and her close, collaborative relationship with her brother Robert—set against the backdrop of the turbulent politics of the times, including the Irish and English civil wars."
— Physics Today
"For almost 400 years, it has been a struggle to find the right words to describe Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh. . . . In this engaging and deeply researched study, Michele DiMeo has taken up the gauntlet, and finally done justice to Lady Ranelagh. Choosing an approach that seems to cycle in and out of style in the history of science – that of the intellectual biography – DiMeo has captured Ranelagh as she moved through tumultuous times for nation, faith, and natural philosophy. And what emerges is a woman who occupied a place of respect in all of these, someone whose piety was unquestioned despite the personality that meant she was often ‘bold, sarcastic, and outspoken’ (p. 3)."
— Annals of Science
"In Lady Ranelagh: The Incomparable Life of Robert Boyle’s Sister, Michelle DiMeo adroitly weaves together the extant evidence to bring this spectral figure to life. . . Through her careful reconstruction, DiMeo’s study shows, perhaps more fully than any extant volume, how a well-positioned seventeenth-century woman, who was formally excluded from the Church, universities, and Royal Society, could have a quiet say over the political and scientific direction of a nation."
— Nuncius
"With this timely intellectual biography of the incomparable Lady Ranelagh, DiMeo presents a powerful portrait of an impressive intellectual figure and most remarkable woman, whose importance in the intellectual and scientific life of seventeenth century Britain went far beyond being Robert Boyle’s supportive and beloved sister."
— Metascience
"Michelle DiMeo has filled an important gap with this first book-length biography chronicling [Ranelagh's] remarkable life. DiMeo’s book offers fascinatingly novel insights into one of the most important and influential female figures in seventeenth-century Britain and provides a fresh perspective on wider questions within the history of (women in) science. The book also makes significant methodological contributions, helping to advance research on other under-studied and sparsely documented women in science."
— British Journal of the History of Science
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0001
[biography;natural philosophy;science;chemistry;history;woman;print;manuscript;publication;chymistry]
The introduction explains key terms and methodologies used in the book. This is an intellectual biography of a woman who practiced natural philosophy, but modern terms such as science, chemistry, and alchemy will be used instead of chymistry so asnot to exclude a non-specialist audience. Ranelagh intentionally chose manuscript over print publication, which meant her legacy has been difficult to recover today. (pages 1 - 16)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
1. Birth, Childhood, and Marriage (1615–42) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0002
[Richard Boyle;Earl of Cork;Mary Rich;education;Ireland;Irish Rebellion;Catholics;Protestants;Anglo-Irish;marriage]
This chapter covers the birth, childhood, and marriage of Katherine Jones, later Viscountess Ranelagh. She was born Katherine Boylein Youghal, Ireland. She was the daughter of Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, the wealthiest Anglo-Irish man of his generation, and his wife Catherine Fenton. She is the older sister of Robert Boyle and Mary Rich, later Countess of Warwick. The education of the Boyle girls and boys appears to have differed, followingcommon gender norms for eliteseventeenth-century families. Katherine was still a child when she was sent to England to live with the family of Sapcott Beaumont, whom she was contracted to marry. However, this marriage contract was dissolved and she returned to Ireland. Afterwards she married Arthur Jones, who later became Earl of Ranelagh, and she lived with the Ranelagh family in Athlone Castle. She was trapped thereduring the Irish Rebellion when the Catholics rebelled against Protestants. (pages 17 - 36)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
2. Early Days in the Hartlib Circle (1642–48) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0003
[English Civil War;Harlitb Circle;Samuel Hartlib;John Dury;Queen of Bohemia;John Milton;Dorothy Moore;Sir Cheney Culpeper;Sarah Wight;political correspondence]
Katherine moved to London and separated from her husband, though they did not officially divorce. The English Civil War had just begun, and she tried to promote peace and engaged in politics by writing letters to powerful individuals, including Edward Hyde and the sister of Charles I, Elizabeth Stuart, the exiled Queen of Bohemia. It was during these years when Ranelagh first met Samuel Hartlib and John Dury and became active in what is now called the Hartlib Circle. She became a central member of thisdiverse correspondence network, aligning herself with many of the Protestantand Puritan correspondents, including the poet, John Milton, Benjamin Worsley, and Dorothy Moore. When her brother Robert returned from his Grand Tour of the continent, he moved into her London home and she may have joined his Invisible College. Boyle later moved to Stalbridge and she continued to encourage his early moral writings and early publications on ethics. She was a witness at the religious conversion of prophetess Sarah Wight and initiated a political correspondence with Sir Cheney Culpeper regarding a proposal to limit the rights of the monarch. (pages 37 - 60)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
3. Formative Years in Natural Philosophy and Medicine (1649–56) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0004
[Interregnum;Hartlib Circle;recipe books;Henry Oldenburg;Society of Chemical Physicians;Countess of Kent;Menasseh ben Israel;Hebrew;millenarianism;domestic science]
During the Interregnum, Lady Ranelagh became interested in science, then called natural philosophy, and chemistry more specifically. She helped Boyle set up his laboratory in Stalbridge and later helped him relocate to Oxford. Ranelagh commented on Boyle's works and on proposals circulating around the Hartlib Circle regarding agriculture, religion, husbandry, and horticulture. She hired Henry Oldenburg as tutor to her son and introduced him to the Hartlib Circle. She began experimentation with chemical medicine and supported the proposal fromWilliam Rand to start a Society of Chemical Physicians to counter the Galenic and more conservative College of Physicians. Her own work involved developing and testing medical recipes and conducting trials of domestic science and kitchen physick. She kept her own recipe books and many of her recipes were included in Hartlib's Ephemerides. She maintained a diverse medical network, including Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent, and the physician Dr. Thomas Willis. Around this time, Dorothy Moore also wrote Ranelagh a manuscript treatise on the education of girls. Ranelagh alsobegan teaching herself Hebrew, later commemorated by William Robertson's dedications to her. She had interests inmillenarianism andprophecy, and met with Rabbi Menasseh ben Israel regarding Jews possibly returning to England. (pages 61 - 90)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
4. Return to Ireland (1656–59) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0005
[Ireland;Oliver Cromwell;Hartlib Circle;Boyle family estates;Roger Boyle Lord Broghill;Robert Wood;William Petty;John Beale;prophecy;Arthur Jones]
Anglo-Protestant relations in Ireland changed after Oliver Cromwell displaced Irish Catholics and enabled the widespreadsettlement of English Protestants. Ranelagh benefited from Cromwell serving as Lord Protector of the English Commonwealth and returned to Ireland to try reclaiming Boyle familyestates and securing a marriage settlement from her estranged husband, Arthur Jones, Earl of Ranelagh. Her brother Roger Boyle, Lord Broghill, then held prominent political positions in Ireland and she used her network and reputation to help him. She also developed strong relationships with members of the Hartlib Circle based in Ireland, especially mathematician Robert Wood, William Petty, and John Beale. Beale exchanged lengthyreligious discourses with her and proposed to dedicate a book on gardening to her. Peter Figulus translated her letters into German and circulated them across continental Europe. She also continued to exchange medical recipes with others and to exploreprophecy andmagical phenomena. Oldenburg, Boyle, and Hartlib continued to include her in intimate exchanges on chemistry and she promoted Wood's proposal to decimalize the currency. Her years in Ireland allowed her to expand her network and build her knowledgeon Irish subjects discussedamongst correspondents in the Hartlib Circle. When Cromwell died, Ranelagh returned to London. (pages 91 - 114)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
5. Death of the Hartlib Circle and Birth of the Royal Society (1658–67) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0006
[Hartlib Circle;Royal Society;Robert Boyle;Restoration science;transmutation history;Dr. Butler;Margaret Cavendish;Duchess of Newcastle;experimental philosophy;nonconformists]
Lady Ranelagh remained involved in the Hartlib Circle's correspondence on science until the end of the Commonwealth. Her transmutation history of famed alchemist Dr. Butler gained international circulation and reached John Winthrop Jr. in the American colonies. She expressed disappointment after Cromwell's death and advocated for educational reform. After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the Hartlib Circle dissolved. Though Boyle was a founding fellow of the new Royal Society, Ranelagh did not receive a nomination, in part because she was a woman. However, many other politically motivated members of the Hartlib Circle, such as Benjamin Worsley, John Dury, and Hartlib himself, also did not become fellows. Ranelagh turned her energies towards social improvement by advocating for nonconformists. Her old friend Edward Hyde became Earl of Clarendon under Charles II and enforced the Clarendon Code. Ranelagh worked with William Kiffin to appeal to Clarendon to free twelve Baptists who were imprisoned for dissent. Meanwhile, she also supported her brother Robert as he became more engaged in experimental philosophy. Boyle published some of Ranelagh's work, such as her chemical treatment for rickets using the ens veneris recipe, without using her name. Her life presents a contrast to Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle. (pages 115 - 136)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
6. Plague, Providence, and Medical Practice (1665–67) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0007
[plague;providence;fire of London;Anglo-Dutch war;liberty of conscience;religious toleration;Valentine Greatrakes;Daniel Coxe;Thomas Willis;medicine]
Ranelagh fled London when the plague devastated the city. She wrote her discourse concerning the plague to advocatefor relaxing laws that led toimprisoning nonconformists in crowded prisons. She and Boyle both became advocates for liberty of conscience and religious toleration. Boyle published Occasional Reflections upon Several Subjects and dedicated it to his sister but used the name Sophronia. Ranelagh took an interest in the healing cures of Valentine Greatrakes, known as the Irish Stroker. After the great fire of London and during the second Anglo-Dutch war, she circulated reports to her brothers Boyle and Burlington. She later returned to her home in Pall Mall and continued to practice household medicine. Ranelagh wascalled upon to treat some of the most elite patients inLondon. She was at the bedside of the young Duke of Kendal, son of future James II,when he died. Shelater wrote to her brother Burlington about the baby's autopsy and conversations she had with Dr. Thomas Willis. Ranelagh was wakened in the middle of the night to treat the Earl of Clarendon's dying wife and asked Dr. Daniel Coxe to join her. She reflected on the role of providence and God's judgment. (pages 137 - 162)
This chapter is available at:
https://academic.oup.com/chica...
7. Robert Boyle Moves In (1668–90) - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0008
[Robert Boyle;Robert Hooke;Restoration London;Gaelic Bible;laboratory;William Penn;King Philip's War;medical recipes;Pall Mall;Anthony Dopping]
While Robert Boyle had frequently been staying at Lady Ranelagh's Pall Mall home on his visits to London, he finally moved in with this sister. Many of the Oxford experimentalists had already relocated to Restoration London. Ranelagh worked with Robert Hooke to construct a laboratory on her house and may have witnessed some of Boyle's experiments. Unfortunately, because the siblings lived in the same house, they no longer had to write letters to each other, which has resulted in less documentary evidence. Lady Ranelagh's daughter Frances Jones died and Andrew Marvell wrote her epitaph. Ranelagh continued to advocate for liberty of conscience and maintained an international network of Protestants. She corresponded with John Eliot regarding the Christian Native Americans who were being contained on Deer Island during King Philip's war. With Boyle, Ranelagh turned towards evangelism and methods of conversion. She supported numerous Bible translation projects, including Bishop Anthony Dopping's Gaelic translation. She maintained a correspondencewith William Penn that suggested she may have held some sympathy for pious Catholics and sent him medical recipes to treat his sick family. Ranelagh may have instigated Boyle's return to publishing on medicine in the 1680s, and supported William Petty's proposals forIreland. (pages 163 - 194)
This chapter is available at:
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Conclusion: Death and Legacy - Michelle DiMeo
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226731742.003.0009
[early modern women;legacy;Lady Ranelagh;Robert Boyle;Gilbert Burnet;Thomas Birch;archives;public;incomparable;intellectual women]
Lady Ranelagh died in 1691 and her brother Robert Boyle died one week later. They were buried in St. Martinin the Fields in London. Ranelagh does not appear to have left behind a will, but Boyle did. He intended for Ranelagh to be executor of his will, but she predeceased him. He had wanted to leave her all his receipts, or medical recipes, many of which were then published posthumously asMedicinal Experiments. Bishop Gilbert Burnet delivered a eulogy at Boyle's funeral that included alengthy remembrance ofLady Ranelagh. Burnet noted that she lived a public life. Thomas Birch also celebrated her life when documenting Boyle's. However, her legacy became hidden shortly after this because she left behind almost no archives. Recent work by historians and archivists have tried to recreate what has been lost or erased from history because early modern women were discouraged from preparingfor their posthumous legacies. On the contrary,men like Boyle were encouraged to do so. While Lady Ranelagh was known for being incomparable because of her network, this archival practice suggests there may have been other intellectual women like her who have been erased from history. (pages 195 - 208)
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