Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/272

, second duke of Buckingham, Wilkins was made bishop of Chester. At his consecration (15 Nov.), who had married his stepdaughter, Elizabeth French, was the preacher. Afterwards there was 'a sumptuous dinner, where were the Duke of Buckingham, judges, secretaries of state, lord-keeper, council, noblemen, and innumerable other company, who were honourers of this incomparable man, universally beloved by all who knew him' ). With his bishopric he held the rectory of Wigan in commendam.

As a bishop, Wilkins showed great leniency to the nonconformists. Pliant himself to the requirements of the Act of Uniformity, he exerted his influence with considerable success to induce the ejected ministers to conform. 'Many ministers were brought in by Wilkins's soft interpretation of the terms of conformity.' He joined with Sir and other moderate men in 1668 in an abortive attempt to bring about a comprehension of the dissenters. In the same year he and Cosin of Durham were the only bishops who supported the act for the divorce of Lord Roos. In 1670 he opposed the second conventicle act in a long speech at the risk of losing the royal favour, in which he stood so high that it was reported that the king purposed to make him lord treasurer (, Diary, 16 March 1669).

Wilkins died of suppression of the urine at Tillotson's house in Chancery Lane on 19 Nov. 1672. He was buried in St. Lawrence Jewry on 12 Dec., William Lloyd (afterwards bishop of St. Asaph's) preaching the funeral sermon. Tillotson was appointed executor to the bishop's will, wherein legacies were left to the Royal Society and Wadham College.

'Wilkins had two characteristics, neither of which was calculated to make him generally admired: first, he avowed moderation, and was kindly affected towards dissenters, for a comprehension of whom he openly and earnestly contended; secondly, he thought it right and reasonable to submit himself to the powers in being, be those powers who they would, or let them be established how they would. And this making him ready to swear allegiance to Charles II after he was restored to the crown, as to the usurpers while they prevailed, he was charged with being various and unsteady in his principles, with having no principles at all, with Hobbism and everything that is bad. Yet the greatest and best qualities are ascribed to him, if not unanimously, at least by many eminent and good men.' Tillotson says of him: 'I think I may truly say that there are or have been few in this age and nation so well known and greatly esteemed and favoured by so many persons of high rank and quality and of singular worth and eminence in all the learned professions.' Burnet speaks equally highly of him. 'He was a man,' he says, 'of as great a mind, as true a judgement, as eminent virtues, and of as good a soul as any I ever knew. … Though he married Cromwell's sister, yet made no other use of that alliance but to do good offices, and to cover the university of Oxford from the sourness of Owen and Goodwin. At Cambridge he joined with those who studied to propagate better thoughts, to take men off from being in parties or from narrow notions, from superstitious conceits and fierceness about opinions. He was also a great preserver and promoter of experimental philosophy. He was naturally ambitious, but was the wisest clergyman I ever knew. He was a lover of mankind, and had a delight in doing good.' Anthony à Wood says: 'He was a person endowed with rare gifts; he was a noted theologist and preacher, a curious critic in several matters, an excellent mathematician and experimentist, and one as well seen in mechanisms and new philosophy, of which he was a great promoter, as any man of his time. He also highly advanced the study and perfection of astronomy both at Oxford and London; and I cannot say that there was anything deficient in him, but a constant mind and settled principles.'

In person Wilkins was 'lustie, strong growne, well sett, and broad-shouldered', and in his manners refined and courteous. There are several portraits of him; two original paintings being at Wadham, and a third painted by Mary Beale belonging to the Royal Society. There are engravings by A. Blooteling, R. White, and Sturt.

Wilkins's works are as follows:
 * 1) 'The Discovery of a World in the Moone, or a Discourse tending to prove that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in that Planet,' 1638; to the third edition (1640) is added a 'Discourse concerning the Possibility of a Passage thither.' Wilkins obtained several hints from the notable 'Man in the Moone' (1638) of Bishop  [q. v.] . There can be little doubt that the hero of Robert Paltock's 'Peter Wilkins' derived his surname from our author. A French translation, entitled 'Le Monde dans La Lune,' was published at Rouen by Le Sieur de la Montagne in 1655 (note from G. Maupin of Nantes).
 * 2) 'A Discourse concerning a new Planet, tending