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Wilkins, John, 1614-1672We have 1 book for this author.
John Wilkins (1614-01-01 - 1672-11-19), an English clergyman, is the only person to have headed a college at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. He married Oliver Cromwell's sister, Robina. He was the first secretary of the Royal Society from its first meeting in 1660. He served as Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death. BiographyWilkins 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. 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, 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. The Ballad of Gresham College (1663), an ode to the society, describes his efforts to create a universal "Philosophical Language":
In 1668, Wilkins presented to the Royal Society his suggestions for rationalising the measurement system; this plan has been subsequently identified as the first statement of a metric system. [2] However, his plan was not taken up and, over a century afterwards, the French adopted the first working metric system. He died in London of complications arising from his kidney stones. His numerous written works include:
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This biographical information was gathered from the John_Wilkins page, courtesy of the Wikipedia project. BooksThe Discovery of a World in the Moone Or, A Discovrse Tending To Prove That 'Tis Probable There May Be Another Habitable World In That Planet |
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Fawsley, Northamptonshire
