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John Wilkins
Mercury; or the secret and swift messenger
John Wilkins was Bishop of Chester and ond of the founding fellows of the Royal Society. His interest in language systems and mathematical patterns led him to produce a pioneering introduction to cryptography, named after the ancient god of communication, Mercury. Wilkins provided English readers with their best guide to avoiding suspicion using invisible writing materials, explaining that sal ammoniac dissolved in water will reappear when heated, the "juice of glow-worms" is visible only in the dark, and a "glutinous moisture" such as milk or fat will become legible when sprinkled with dust. |