John Barratier

Who is John Barratier?

John Barratier was an 18th-century child prodigy. The following note describing him appears in a letter to the British Royal Society November 28, 1769:

"John Barratier hath been most particularly distinguished, who is said to have understood Latin when he was but four years old, Hebrew when six, and three other languages at the age of nine.

This same prodigy of philosophical learning also translated the travels of Rabbi Benjamin when eleven years old, accompanying his version with notes and dissertations. Before his death, which happened under the age of twenty, Barratier seems to have astonished Germany with his amazing extent of learning; and it need not be said, that its increase in such a soil, from year to year, is commonly amazing."

This comment was made as part of a longer letter submitted by the Honourable Daines Barrington describing "a very remarkable young musician" Joannes Chrysostomus Wolgangus Theophilus Mozart.

Barratier died before the age of 20.