ridicule the "folly" of a
great man, whose system he has made no very laborious effort to
understand, for it seems to be built on sand, on a classification of
things superficial, imperfect, and capricious, which would not have been
accepted by learned men, and if accepted would have become obsolete in a
quarter of a century. The syllable Co stands for all relations between
human beings, and these relations are of eight kinds. What would a
professor of social science now say to this? What would an ichthyologist
say to Wilkins' definition of a salmon? The interest of the book lies in
its being the most striking of many proofs of the wide intellectual
interests, the alert and insatiable curiosity, and the extraordinary
industry of its writer. It has also the pathetic interest of "love's
labour lost," for who now reads the 'Real Character,' or who read it
twenty years after Wilkins' death? His name was "writ in water," for he
spent himself on many things, and did little because he did too much.

The "greatest curioso" of his time relieved his toils by music. Nowhere
are Wood's vanity and self-consciousness shown more vividly than in his
account of a musical entertainment given by Wilkins in honour of Thomas
Baltzar, "the most famous artist for the violin which the world had yet
produced. The books and instruments were carried thither," to the
Warden's lodgings, "but none could be persuaded there to play against
him in consort on the violin. At length the company, perceiving A. W.
standing behind in a corner neare the dore, they haled him in among
them, and play forsooth he must against him: whereupon, he being not
able to avoid it, took up a violin, and behaved himself as poor Troylus
did against Achilles." Wood consoled himself for his failure by the
honour he acquired from being asked to play with the Master, of whom he
maliciously remarks that "he was given to excessive drinking,"--a
characteristic comment.

Wilkins' greatest achievement was the founding of the Royal Society. He
may be called its founder, if that high title can be given to any one of
the eminent men who, in Oxford and in London, revived or regenerated
the study of natural philosophy. Pope, Aubrey, and Sprat differ from
Wallis in their accounts of the origin of the mother of scientific
parliaments. The first three find that origin in meetings held in Wadham
College under the presidency of Wilkins. Wallis traces the beginnings of
the Royal Society to meet