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| John Wilkins | |
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| Born | January 1, 1614 Fawsley, Northamptonshire |
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| Died | November 19, 1672 (aged 58) London |
| Occupation | Anglican clergyman, Author, Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Secretary of the Royal Society, Bishop of Chester |
| Religious beliefs | Church of England |
| Spouse(s) | Robina Cromwell (sister of Oliver) |
John Wilkins (January 1, 1614 - November 19, 1672) was an English clergyman and author. He was founder and first secretary of the Royal Society in 1660 and Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death. As an author, he is particularly known for An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language.
Wilkins is the only person to have headed a college at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
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Biography
Wilkins was born at Fawsley, Northamptonshire, and educated at Magdalen Hall (which later became Hertford College), Oxford. His father was a goldsmith, and his grandfather was a vicar, John Dodd. After ordination, Wilkins became vicar of his home town of Fawsley in 1637, but soon resigned and became chaplain successively to Lord Saye and Sele, Lord Berkeley, and Prince Charles Louis, nephew of King Charles I and afterwards elector palatine of the Rhine.
In 1641, Wilkins published an anonymous treatise entitled Mercury, or The Secret and Swift Messenger.[1] This small but comprehensive work on cryptography proved a timely gift to the diplomats and leaders of the imminent English Civil War.
In 1648, he became warden of Wadham College, Oxford. Under him the college prospered extraordinarily, for, although a supporter of Oliver Cromwell, he remained in touch with the most cultured Royalists, who placed their sons in his charge. In 1656, he married Robina Cromwell, sister of Oliver Cromwell. In 1659, shortly before his death, Oliver Cromwell arranged his appointment as Master of Trinity College, Cambridge[2], an appointment that was confirmed by Cromwell's successor as Lord Protector, his son Richard Cromwell.
At the Restoration in 1660, the new authorities deprived Wilkins of the position given him by Cromwell; he gained appointment as prebendary of York and rector of Cranford, Middlesex. In 1661, he was reduced to preacher at Gray's Inn, lodging with his friend Seth Ward. In 1662, he became vicar of St Lawrence Jewry, London. He became vicar of Polebrook, Northamptonshire, in 1666, prebendary of Exeter in 1667, and in the following year prebendary of St Paul's and bishop of Chester.
Possessing strong scientific tastes, Wilkins was the chief founder of the Royal Society and its first secretary. In 1668 he published his Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language, in which he attempted to create a universal language to replace Latin as a completely unambiguous tongue with which scholars and philosophers could communicate.[3]
The Ballad of Gresham College (1663), an ode to the society, describes his efforts:
| “ |
A Doctor counted very able |
” |
In 1668, Wilkins presented to the Royal Society his suggestions for rationalising the measurement system; his plan was not taken up, though in retrospect it has been identified as the first statement of a metric system.[5]
Death and legacy
He died in London, most likely from the medicines used to treat his kidney stones and stoppage of urine.[6]
The influence and ambitions of John Wilkins were an important thread in the historical fiction trilogy The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
Works
His numerous written works include:
- The Discovery of a World in the Moone (1638)[7][8]
- A Discourse Concerning a New Planet (1640)
- Mercury, or the Secret and Swift Messenger (1641), the first English-language book on cryptography
- Mathematical Magick (1648)
- An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language (London, 1668), in which he proposes a new universal language for the use of natural philosophers.
- Of the Principle and Duties of Natural Religion (London, 1675).
References
- ^ M E R C V R Y: The secret and swift Messenger Scan of original book
- ^ The Master of Trinity at Trinity College, Cambridge
- ^ The Analytical Language of John Wilkins from alamut.com
- ^ Stimson, Dorothy. "'Ballad of Gresham College'". Isis volume 18, number 1, 1932. pp. 103-117.
- ^ Metric system 'was British' - from the BBC video news
- ^ Inwood, Stephen (2005). The Forgotten Genius: The Biography of Robert Hooke 1635-1703. MacAdam/Cage Publishing. ISBN 1596921153.
- ^ Cromwell's moonshot: how one Jacobean scientist tried to kick off the space race from The Independent
- ^ The Discovery of a World in the Moon from http://www.positiveatheism.org
External links
- Galileo Project: Wilkins from the Rice University website
- Works by John Wilkins at Project Gutenberg
- Bishop Wilkins College A Rosicrucian SRIA College named after Wilkins
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Pitt |
Warden of Wadham College, Oxford 1648–1659 |
Succeeded by Walter Blandford |
| Preceded by John Arrowsmith |
Master of Trinity College, Cambridge 1659–1660 |
Succeeded by Henry Ferne |
| Religious titles | ||
| Preceded by George Hall |
Bishop of Chester 1668–1672 |
Succeeded by John Pearson |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Wilkins, John |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Secretary of the Royal Society, Bishop of Chester |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1614-01-01 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Fawsley, Northamptonshire, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1672-11-19 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | London, England |
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