eat industry and
learning, by no means trustworthy, but none the less entertaining and
delightful. He tells us that Wilkins had his "grammar learning from Mr
Sylvester, 'the common drudge of the University,' who kept a private
school: that he entered Magdalen Hall from New Inn Hall in 1627 at the
age of thirteen, and there was placed under the tutorship of 'the
learned Mr John Tombs, the Coryphaeus of the Anabaptists.'" Tombs was a
man of great ability, notable for his "curious, searching, piercing
witt, of whom it was predicted that he would doe a great deale of
mischiefe to the Church of England, as great witts have done by
introducing new opinions." He was a formidable disputant, so formidable
that when he came to Oxford in 1664, and there "sett up a challenge to
maintain 'contra omnes gentes' the doctrines of the Anabaptists, not a
man would grapple with him, their Coryphaeus; yet putting aside his
Anabaptisticall opinions he was conformable enough to the Church of
England"; so much so that he held a living at Leominster, and was the
friend of two Bishops, Sanderson and Seth Ward. It is doubtful whether
Mr Tombs would now, if he came back, move in Episcopal circles. His
career gives us a glimpse into those puzzling times of confusion and
cross-purposes, when compromise and toleration co-existed, both in
parties and in individuals, with bitter fanaticism, more commonly than
is supposed, or can be explained.

It is easy to see what was the influence exercised by Tombs on a clever
boy like Wilkins. He was probably trained to be a Latitudinarian; for
Tombs, despite his strong opinions, could admire and praise sincerity in
opponents: he was heard to say that "though he was much opposite to the
Romish religion, truly for his part should he see a poor zealous friar
goeing to preach he should pay him respect." Utterances of this kind, if
heard by Wilkins, would make a strong impression on a youth by nature
singularly tolerant.

Wilkins took his B.A. degree in 1631, his M.A. in 1634. For a few years
he took pupils--read to pupils (as the phrase was),--the common resource
then, as now, of young Oxonians, who think themselves qualified to
teach, and must support themselves till a Fellowship comes, or till they
have chosen a profession.

In 1637 he took Holy Orders in the Church of England, and became curate
of Fawsley, the place in which he had been born. A country living was
too small a sphere for a young man of twenty-thr