It is probably at Wadham that Wren concerned himself with what he calls Cheirologia. In the heirloom Parentalia is a sheet with pictures of two hands, and on the next page, another hand and various notes showing the working of the deaf and dumb language invented by Sir Christopher. Though more complicated than the system now in use, it is another evidence of the agility of Wren’s mind, and of his unwearying interest in varying problems. But his time was not wholly spent in the laboratory.

A curious incident at Oxford in 1650 gave occasion for Wren’s poetic gift. A girl condemned for murdering her illegitimate infant was hanged, but revived later under the care of Dr. Petty and Thomas Willis. It is an extraordinary story told with a wealth of unpleasant detail in a pamphlet called News from the Dead. Following the narrative are some dozens of “Ingenious poems on the subject by the Prime Wits” of the University, including one by Wren. It is in a pompous vein, and cites Orpheus, Eurydice, the Fates, and Æsculapius in the fashion of the time.

Morgan reprinted the pamphlet and poems in Phœnix Britannicus, where they may be found by the curious. Wren’s effusion is only worth mention as showing him in the full current of Oxford life: it is likely enough that he had some slight part with Petty and Willis in the long business of resuscitating the young woman.

His fellowship at All Souls did not divorce him from Wadham. In October, 1663, he was paying rent for the chamber over Wadham Gateway which had once been part of the Warden’s lodging.

That he long held in affection the scene of his early scientific labours is shown by his having designed and presented to the College a clock, the face of which appears on the outside of the chapel. The works were only recently replaced, but the old mechanism is preserved in the chapel. In the upper corners of the face are two armorial devices, one of which appears to be the charges from Wren’s coat-of-arms. There is also amongst the college silver a fine sugar castor with an inscription which states that it was given by Wren in 1653. As, however, the maker’s mark dates the piece as being actually of 1720, it is likely that, as often happened, the old inscription on the 1653 piece was transferred to what in 1720 seemed a more modish design.

At Oxford he must have stayed off and on, after his marriage in 1669, because he retained the Savilian Professorship of Astronomy until April, 1673, when he finally settled in London.

CHAPTER III
FAMILY LIFE

Of Wren’s mother nothing is known, not even the date of her death. Of his seven sisters (the number given in Rylands’ pedigree), the only one to survive was Susan, who became Mrs. Holder, and wisely used her great skill in nursing during her brother’s delicate childhood. She was five years his senior, and had no children of her own.

Christopher’s boyhood must have been clouded not a little by the misfortunes of his stout-hearted uncle, Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely, whose son, another Matthew, was a faithful cousin to Christopher in later years. This is no place to tell the story of the Bishop who, with eleven of his brethren, was impeached for resisting the Parliament in 1641, and went to the Tower. After a short freedom in 1642 he was imprisoned again, and, being charged with Catholic practices, languished there while Laud was tried and beheaded, and, himself never brought to trial, remained a close prisoner until he was released by Monk’s warrant on March 15, 1660. Broken though he was by domestic bereavements during his eighteen years of captivity, the brave old man took up again his episcopal duties at the age of seventy-five.

That he remained a prisoner so long was due to his refusal to bow the knee to the new order. It does not appear that Christopher ever saw his uncle in the Tower, save on one great occasion, when he made an unsuccessful effort to secure his release.