44-509: John Wilkins FRS (14 February 1614 – 19 November 1672) was an Anglican clergyman , natural philosopher , and author, and was one of the founders of the Royal Society . He was Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death. Wilkins is one of the few persons to have headed a college at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge . He was a polymath , although not one of
88-735: A Chair (all of whom are Fellows of the Royal Society ). Members of the 10 Sectional Committees change every three years to mitigate in-group bias . Each Sectional Committee covers different specialist areas including: New Fellows are admitted to the Society at a formal admissions day ceremony held annually in July, when they sign the Charter Book and the Obligation which reads: "We who have hereunto subscribed, do hereby promise, that we will endeavour to promote
132-503: A Fellow in that year. In 1643 he was chosen university mathematical lecturer, but he was deprived of his fellowship next year for opposing the Solemn League and Covenant (with Isaac Barrow , John Barwick and Peter Gunning ). In the 1640s, he took instruction in mathematics from William Oughtred , and stayed with relations of Samuel Ward . In 1649, he became Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford University , and gained
176-460: A Real Character and a Philosophical Language . In it he attempted to create a universal language to replace Latin as a completely unambiguous tongue with which scholars and philosophers could communicate. One aspect of this work was the suggestion of an integrated system of measurement, similar to the metric system but which was never promoted. In his lexicographical work he collaborated with William Lloyd . The Ballad of Gresham College (1663),
220-488: A gently satirical ode to the Society, refers to this project: A Doctor counted very able Designes that all Mankynd converse shall, Spite o' th' confusion made att Babell, By Character call'd Universall. How long this character will be learning, That truly passeth my discerning. Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society ( FRS , ForMemRS and HonFRS ) is an award granted by
264-466: A high reputation by his theory of planetary motion, propounded in the works entitled In Ismaelis Bullialdi astronomiae philolaicae fundamenta inquisitio brevis (Oxford, 1653), against the cosmology of Ismael Boulliau , and Astronomia geometrica (London, 1656) on the system of Kepler . About this time he was engaged in a decades-long philosophical controversy with Thomas Hobbes : Seth Ward and John Wallis, both Savilian professors and members of
308-461: A high stratum of Parliamentary society, and the couple used rooms in Whitehall Palace . Shortly before his death, Oliver Cromwell arranged for Wilkins a new appointment as Master of Trinity College, Cambridge , an appointment that was confirmed by Richard Cromwell who succeeded his father as Lord Protector . Wilkins was there long enough to befriend and become a patron of Isaac Barrow . Upon
352-725: A popular vein, and have links to the publications of Francis Godwin . The Discovery of a World in the Moone (1638) was followed up by A Discourse Concerning a New Planet (1640). The author highlights the similarities between the Earth and the Moon. Based on these similarities, he proposes the idea that the Moon would house living beings, the Selenites . Godwin's The Man in the Moone was also published in 1638. In 1641 Wilkins published an anonymous treatise entitled Mercury, or The Secret and Swift Messenger . This
396-670: A sheep-farming place with little population, dominated by the Knightley family , to whom he and then Dod may have ministered; Richard Knightley had been Dod's patron there. He was ordained a priest of the Church of England in Christ Church Cathedral in February 1638. He then became chaplain successively to Lord Saye and Sele , and by 1641 to Lord Berkeley . In 1644 he became chaplain to Prince Charles Louis , nephew of King Charles I , who
440-535: A significant group known as the Oxford Philosophical Club , which by 1650 had been constituted with a set of rules. Besides some of the London group (Goddard, Wallis, Ward, and Wren who was a young protégé of Scarburgh), it included (in the account of Thomas Sprat ) Ralph Bathurst , Robert Boyle , William Petty , Lawrence Rooke , Thomas Willis , and Matthew Wren . Robert Hooke was gradually recruited into
484-725: Is confirmed by the Council in April, and a secret ballot of Fellows is held at a meeting in May. A candidate is elected if they secure two-thirds of votes of those Fellows voting. An indicative allocation of 18 Fellowships can be allocated to candidates from Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences; and up to 10 from Applied Sciences, Human Sciences and Joint Physical and Biological Sciences. A further maximum of six can be 'Honorary', 'General' or 'Royal' Fellows. Nominations for Fellowship are peer reviewed by Sectional Committees, each with at least 12 members and
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#1732855465569528-421: Is nominated by two Fellows of the Royal Society (a proposer and a seconder), who sign a certificate of proposal. Previously, nominations required at least five fellows to support each nomination by the proposer, which was criticised for supposedly establishing an old boy network and elitist gentlemen's club . The certificate of election (see for example ) includes a statement of the principal grounds on which
572-411: Is particularly known for An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language (1668) in which, amongst other things, he proposed a universal language and an integrated system of measurement, similar to the metric system . Wilkins lived in a period of great political and religious controversy , yet managed to remain on working terms with men of all political stripes; he was key in setting
616-536: The Anglican clergy, felt offended by the works of Hobbes, particularly after Leviathan was released. A small part of the debate with John Webster launched by the Vindiciae academiarum he wrote with John Wilkins which also incorporated an attack on William Dell . He was one of the original members of the Royal Society of London . In 1659, he was appointed President of Trinity College, Oxford , but not having
660-468: The Church of England on the path toward comprehension for as many sects as possible, "and toleration for the rest". Gilbert Burnet called him "the wisest clergyman I ever knew. He was a lover of mankind, and had a delight in doing good." His stepdaughter married John Tillotson , who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1691. He was probably born at Canons Ashby , Northamptonshire , though some sources say Fawsley ; his father Walter Wilkins (died 1623)
704-689: The Gresham College group of 1645 , was described much later by Wallis, who mentions also Theodore Haak , anchoring it also to the Palatine exiles; there are clear connections to the Wilkins Oxford Philosophical Club , another and less remote precursor to the Royal Society . From 1648 Charles Louis was able to take up his position as Elector of the Palatinate on the Rhine , as a consequence of
748-592: The Peace of Westphalia . Wilkins travelled to continental Europe, and according to Anthony Wood visited Heidelberg . In 1648 Wilkins became Warden of Wadham College in Oxford, and under him the college prospered. He fostered political and religious tolerance and drew talented minds to the college, including Christopher Wren . Although he was a supporter of Oliver Cromwell , Royalists placed their sons in his charge. From those interested in experimental science, he drew together
792-589: 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 suffered in the Great Fire of London , losing his vicarage, library and scientific instruments. Possessing strong scientific tastes, Wilkins
836-426: The post-nominal letters FRS . Every year, fellows elect up to ten new foreign members. Like fellows, foreign members are elected for life through peer review on the basis of excellence in science. As of 2016 , there are around 165 foreign members, who are entitled to use the post-nominal ForMemRS . Honorary Fellowship is an honorary academic title awarded to candidates who have given distinguished service to
880-1681: The Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge , including mathematics , engineering science , and medical science ". Fellowship of the Society, the oldest known scientific academy in continuous existence, is a significant honour. It has been awarded to many eminent scientists throughout history, including Isaac Newton (1672), Benjamin Franklin (1756), Charles Babbage (1816), Michael Faraday (1824), Charles Darwin (1839), Ernest Rutherford (1903), Srinivasa Ramanujan (1918), Jagadish Chandra Bose (1920), Albert Einstein (1921), Paul Dirac (1930), Winston Churchill (1941), Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1944), Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (1945), Dorothy Hodgkin (1947), Alan Turing (1951), Lise Meitner (1955), Satyendra Nath Bose (1958), and Francis Crick (1959). More recently, fellowship has been awarded to Stephen Hawking (1974), David Attenborough (1983), Tim Hunt (1991), Elizabeth Blackburn (1992), Raghunath Mashelkar (1998), Tim Berners-Lee (2001), Venki Ramakrishnan (2003), Atta-ur-Rahman (2006), Andre Geim (2007), Bai Chunli (2014), James Dyson (2015), Ajay Kumar Sood (2015), Subhash Khot (2017), Elon Musk (2018), Elaine Fuchs (2019) and around 8,000 others in total, including over 280 Nobel Laureates since 1900. As of October 2018 , there are approximately 1,689 living Fellows, Foreign and Honorary Members, of whom 85 are Nobel Laureates. Fellowship of
924-481: The Moone , for bird-powered flight. These were light if learned works and admitted both blue-sky thinking, such as the possibility of the Moon being inhabitable, and references to figures on the "occult" side: Trithemius , John Dee , the Rosicrucians , Robert Fludd . Ecclesiastes (1646) is a plea for a plain style in preaching, avoiding rhetoric and scholasticism, for a more direct and emotional appeal. It analysed
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#1732855465569968-496: The Presbyterian style by a classis . As Wilkins was ordained, he spoke out against the use of penal laws, and immediately tried to gather support from other moderate bishops to see what concessions to the nonconformists could be made. A serious effort was made in 1668 to secure a scheme of comprehension, with William Bates , Richard Baxter and Thomas Manton for the dissenters meeting Wilkins and Hezekiah Burton . Wilkins felt
1012-698: The Presbyterians could be brought within the Church of England, while the Independent separatists were left outside. It fell through by late summer, with Manton blaming John Owen for independent scheming for general toleration with Buckingham, and Baxter pointing the finger at the House of Lords. Wilkins died in London, most likely from the medicines used to treat his kidney stones and urinary retention . His numerous written works include: The early scientific works were in
1056-439: The Royal Society has been described by The Guardian as "the equivalent of a lifetime achievement Oscar " with several institutions celebrating their announcement each year. Up to 60 new Fellows (FRS), honorary (HonFRS) and foreign members (ForMemRS) are elected annually in late April or early May, from a pool of around 700 proposed candidates each year. New Fellows can only be nominated by existing Fellows for one of
1100-655: The Society, we shall be free from this Obligation for the future". Since 2014, portraits of Fellows at the admissions ceremony have been published without copyright restrictions in Wikimedia Commons under a more permissive Creative Commons license which allows wider re-use. In addition to the main fellowships of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS & HonFRS), other fellowships are available which are applied for by individuals, rather than through election. These fellowships are research grant awards and holders are known as Royal Society Research Fellows . In addition to
1144-506: The Wilkins group: he arrived at Christ Church, Oxford in 1653, working his way to an education, became assistant to Willis, became known to Wilkins (possibly via Richard Busby ) as a technician, and by 1658 was working with Boyle. In 1656, Wilkins married Robina French (née Cromwell), youngest sister of Oliver Cromwell, who had been widowed in 1655 when her husband Peter French, a canon of Christ Church, Oxford , had died. Wilkins thereby joined
1188-578: The award of Fellowship (FRS, HonFRS & ForMemRS) and the Research Fellowships described above, several other awards, lectures and medals of the Royal Society are also given. Seth Ward (bishop) Seth Ward (1617 – 6 January 1689) was an English mathematician , astronomer , and bishop. He was born in Hertfordshire , and educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge , where he graduated B.A. in 1636 and M.A. in 1640, becoming
1232-597: The cause of science, but do not have the kind of scientific achievements required of Fellows or Foreign Members. Honorary Fellows include the World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (2022), Bill Bryson (2013), Melvyn Bragg (2010), Robin Saxby (2015), David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville (2008), Onora O'Neill (2007), John Maddox (2000), Patrick Moore (2001) and Lisa Jardine (2015). Honorary Fellows are entitled to use
1276-515: The fellowships described below: Every year, up to 52 new fellows are elected from the United Kingdom, the rest of the Commonwealth of Nations , and Ireland, which make up around 90% of the society. Each candidate is considered on their merits and can be proposed from any sector of the scientific community. Fellows are elected for life on the basis of excellence in science and are entitled to use
1320-530: The good of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, and to pursue the ends for which the same was founded; that we will carry out, as far as we are able, those actions requested of us in the name of the Council; and that we will observe the Statutes and Standing Orders of the said Society. Provided that, whensoever any of us shall signify to the President under our hands, that we desire to withdraw from
1364-598: The influence of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham . Buckingham's approach to the religious problem of the day was comprehension , something less than religious tolerance but aimed at least at bringing in the Presbyterians among the nonconformists to the Church of England by some peaceful form of negotiation and arrangement. Wilkins too thought along these lines. He had been a sympathetic reader of John Humfrey 's 1661 justification of his acceptance of re-ordination by William Piers , having already once been ordained in
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1408-463: The most important scientific innovators of the period. His personal qualities were brought out, and obvious to his contemporaries, in reducing political tension in Interregnum Oxford, in founding the Royal Society on non-partisan lines, and in efforts to reach out to Protestant Nonconformists . He was one of the founders of the new natural theology compatible with the science of the time . He
1452-509: The post nominal letters HonFRS . Statute 12 is a legacy mechanism for electing members before official honorary membership existed in 1997. Fellows elected under statute 12 include David Attenborough (1983) and John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne (1991). The Council of the Royal Society can recommend members of the British royal family for election as Royal Fellow of the Royal Society . As of 2023 there are four royal fellows: Elizabeth II
1496-546: The proposal is being made. There is no limit on the number of nominations made each year. In 2015, there were 654 candidates for election as Fellows and 106 candidates for Foreign Membership. The Council of the Royal Society oversees the selection process and appoints 10 subject area committees, known as Sectional Committees, to recommend the strongest candidates for election to the Fellowship. The final list of up to 52 Fellowship candidates and up to 10 Foreign Membership candidates
1540-516: The statutory qualifications he resigned in 1660. King Charles II appointed him to the livings of St Lawrence Jewry in London , and Uplowman in Devonshire , in 1661. He also became dean of Exeter Cathedral (1661) and rector of St Breock , Cornwall in 1662. In the latter year he was consecrated Bishop of Exeter , and in 1667 he was translated to the see of Salisbury . The office of Chancellor of
1584-501: The topics, really was foolish. In this approach Wilkins had to back away somewhat from his writings of the late 1630s and early 1640s. He made light of this in the way of pointing to Alexander Ross , a very conservative Aristotelian who had attacked his own astronomical works, as a more suitable target for Webster. This exchange was part of the process of the new experimental philosophers throwing off their associations with occultists and radicals. In 1668 he published his Essay towards
1628-466: The whole field of available Biblical commentary, for the use of those preparing sermons, and was reprinted many times. It is noted as a transitional work, both in the move away from Ciceronian style in preaching, and in the changing meaning of elocution to the modern sense of vocal production. A Discourse Concerning the Beauty of Providence (1649) took an unfashionable line, namely that divine providence
1672-520: Was a goldsmith and his mother Jane Dod was daughter of John Dod , a well-known conforming Puritan . His mother then remarried to Francis Pope, and their son, Walter Pope was a half-brother. Wilkins was educated at a school in Oxford run by Edward Sylvester, and matriculated at New Inn Hall . He then moved to Magdalen Hall, Oxford where his tutor was John Tombes , and graduated with a BA degree in 1631, an MA degree in 1634. He studied astronomy with John Bainbridge . Wilkins went to Fawsley in 1637,
1716-404: Was a founding member of the Royal Society and was soon elected fellow and one of the Society's two secretaries: he shared the work with Henry Oldenburg , whom he had met in Oxford in 1656. Wilkins 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 . He owed his position as bishop to
1760-476: Was a small work on cryptography ; it may well have been influenced by Godwin's Nuncius inanimatus (1629). His Mathematical Magic (1648) was divided into two sections, one on traditional mechanical devices such as the lever , and the other, more speculative, on machines. It drew on many authors, both classical writers and moderns such as Guidobaldo del Monte and Marin Mersenne . It alludes to Godwin's The Man in
1804-565: Was dedicated to John Lambert , a top military figure, and was launched during Barebone's Parliament , when radical change seemed on the cards. Wilkins (as NS) provided an open letter to Ward; and Ward (as HD, also taking the final letters of his name therefore) replied at greater length. Wilkins makes two main points: first, Webster is not addressing the actual state of the universities, which were not as wedded to old scholastic ways, Aristotle , and Galen , as he said; and secondly Webster's mixture of commended authors, without fuller understanding of
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1848-544: Was more inscrutable than current interpreters were saying. It added to the reputation of Wilkins, when the Stuarts returned to the throne, to have warned that the short term reading of events as managed by God was risky. In 1654, Wilkins joined with Seth Ward in writing Vindiciae academiarum , a reply to John Webster 's Academiarum Examen , one of many attacks at the time on the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and their teaching methods. This attack had more clout than most: it
1892-421: Was not a Royal Fellow, but provided her patronage to the society, as all reigning British monarchs have done since Charles II of England . Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1951) was elected under statute 12, not as a Royal Fellow. The election of new fellows is announced annually in May, after their nomination and a period of peer-reviewed selection. Each candidate for Fellowship or Foreign Membership
1936-528: Was then in England. Wilkins was one of the group of savants, interested in experimental philosophy, who gathered round Charles Scarburgh , the royalist physician who arrived in London in summer 1646 after the fall of Oxford to the parliamentarian forces. The group included George Ent , Samuel Foster , Francis Glisson , Jonathan Goddard , Christopher Merrett , and John Wallis . Others of Scarburgh's circle were William Harvey and Seth Ward . This London group,
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