Jean Jacques Barthelemy

He began his classical studies at the College of the Oratory in Marseilles , took up Philosophy and Theology at the Jesuits' college, and finally attended the Seminary of the Lazarists . While studying for the priesthood, which he intended to join, he devoted much attention to oriental languages, and was introduced by his friend M. Cary of Marseilles to the study of classical antiquities, particularly in the department of numismatics.

In 1744 he went to Paris with a letter of introduction to M. Gros de Boze, perpetual secretary of the Académie Des Inscriptions Et Belles-lettres and keeper of the royal collection of medals. He became assistant to M. de Boze. In 1753, upon the death of de Boze, he succeeded to the post and remained in this position until the Revolution , during his term nearly doubling the collection.

In 1755 he accompanied the French ambassador, M. De Stainville , afterwards duc de Choiseul, to Italy , where he spent three years in Archaeological research. Choiseul had a great regard for Barthélemy, and on his return to France, Barthlemy became an inmate of his house, and received valuable preferments from his patron. In 1789, after the publication of his ''Voyage du jeune Anacharsis en Grèce dans le milieu du IVe siècle'', he was elected a member of the French Academy .

During the Revolution Barthélemy was arrested (September, 1793) as an Aristocrat and confined in a prison for a few days. The Committee of Public Safety, however, were no sooner informed by the duchess of Choiseul of the arrest than they gave orders for his immediate release, and in 1793 he was nominated librarian of the Bibliothèque Nationale . He refused this post but resumed his old functions as keeper of medals, and enriched the national collection by many valuable accessions. Having been despoiled of his fortune by the Revolution, he died in poverty on the April 30 1795.

Barthélemy was the author of a number of learned works on antiquarian subjects, but the great work on which his fame rests is ''Voyage du jeune Anarcharsis en Grèce'' ("Voyage of Young Anacharsis in Greece", 4 vols., 1787). He had begun it in 1757 and had been working on it for thirty years. The hero, a young Scythia n descended from the famous philosopher Anacharsis , is supposed to repair to Greece for instruction in his early youth, and after making the tour of her republics, colonies and islands, to return to his native country and write this book in his old age, after the Macedon ian hero had overturned the Persia n empire. In the manner of modern travellers, he gives an account of the customs, government and antiquities of the country he is supposed to have visited; a copious introduction supplies whatever may be wanting in respect to historical details; while various dissertations on the music of the Greeks, on the literature of the Athenians , and on the economy, pursuits, ruling passions, manners and customs of the surrounding states supply ample information on the subjects of which they treat.

Modern scholarship has superseded most of the details in the ''Voyage'', but the author himself did not imagine his book to be a register of accurately ascertained facts; he rather intended to afford to his countrymen, in an interesting form, some knowledge of Greek civilization. The ''Charicles'', or ''Illustrations of the Private Life of the Ancient Greeks'' of W. A. Becker is an attempt in a similar direction, but, though superior in scholarship, it wants the charm of style of the ''Anacharsis''.

Barthélemy has left a number of essays on Oriental languages and archaeology, originally read before the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres; ''Les amours de Caryte et de Polydore'', a novel illustrating ancient manners; and ''Mémoires'' of his life.

Barthélemy's correspondence with Paolo Paciaudi , chiefly on antiquarian subjects, was edited with the ''Correspondance du comte de Caylus'' in 1877 by Charles Nisard ; his letters to the comte de Caylus were published by Antoine Serieys as ''Un voyage en Italie'' (1801); and his letters to Mme du Deffand, with whom he was on intimate terms, in the ''Correspondance complète de Mme du Deffand avec la duchesse de Choiseul, l’abbé Barthélemy et M. Craufurt'' (1866), edited by the marquis de Sainte-Aulaire. See also ''Mémoires sur la vie de l'abbé Barthélemy, écrits par lui-même'' (1824), with a notice by Lalande.

His works, ''l'Oeuvres completes'' (4 vols. 1821), contain a notice by Villenave, who edited them.

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Jean Jacques Barthelemy