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Icon Animorum by John Barclay and the Origins of the Characterization of European Nations
deserve a special study.'° In my essay I wanted only to call attention to an important
early modern Latin work, which fits very well into our actual interests during the
early years of the extended European Union.
It is an interesting fact that one of the early builders of the “New Europe” af
ter World War II, Julian Huxley gave a short but positive evaluation of Barclay’s
book, placing him more favorably above than the modern idea of innate inferiority
of certain “races” in the work of the French Count Joseph de Gobineau (Essai sur
Vinégalité des races humaines 1853-1855).
Huxley quotes some passages from Barclay’s derogatory remarks about the Eng¬
lish and the Germans." They are very similar to some ethnic stereotypes of today.
Barclay being part Scot and part French naturally distributes his favours between
these two peoples, who fairly divide the virtues, and leave few over for the others.
Thus, according to him, the English are gluttons and their lower classes puffed up
with pride and, horribile dictu!, even with wealth. ... As for the Germans, they are
one and all “infected with a wonderful love of drinking,” a habit which impressed
Barclay immensely. Moreover, they “hate all kinds of subtlety, either because they
themselves, loosened by drink, cannot firmly keep a secret in, or because their minds
in such coarse bodies know themselves to be dull and are ever suspicious of the
subtleties of others as bent against them and aiming to overreach them.” ... As for
learning among the Germans, Barclay assures us that “they write more than they
read; and value their reputations by the number and greatness of the volumes which
they publish in print. Their wits, as they are dark and dull, so are they strong to
endure endless toil.” He generously allows, however, that Germans are less given to
treachery, deceitful cunning, or lust than some that he could name and that they
possess also some positive virtues.
I hope the recent French edition of Barclay’s work: Jean Barclay Le Tableau des
esprits (Edition, annotation et introduction par Paulette Choné et Sylvia Taussig,
Turnhout 2010) may revitalize the interest in his book.
The main topic of our conference was “representation of east-central and south¬
eastern Europeans in the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth
century,” Barclay’s book differs from it in two respects. Firstly his geographic hori¬
zon is broader: including western Europe. But he speaks about central and eastern
Europeans as well. Secondly as regards the time period, Barclay’s book is today 400
years old, representing seventeenth century absolutism.'? But if we want to under¬
stand the ethnic/national stereotypes of yesterday and today, we should look back
to earlier sources as well. Barclay’s book does not contain illustrations. It could be
10 Summarizing work of the psychological approach to ethnic character: Grieger 1961.
u Huxley, Haddon, Carr-Saunders 1935: 57-8 (I used the 1939 edition in Pelican Books series).
12 Tt is superfluous to mention that during his lifetime Barclay was accepted by the “highest” circles
in philology, philosophy, and other social sciences—in spite of the fact that he was never a university
professor or diplomat.
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