Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 1408 of 3781
YEAR 1799 · Entry 1408
French
p. 281510 octobre.
Comme les corps ne voyent pas les esprits, mais seulement tout ce qui est corps, je pense aussi que les esprits ne voient pas ce qui n’est que corps et qu’ils voyent tout ce qui est esprit.
Chaque âme sert à une autre âme de miroir pour se contempler. Car tout ce qui adopte une image peut servir à la réfléchir, et tout ce qui voit représente.
« Regardez, je suis votre élève. »
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1799
p. 2816October 10.
Just as bodies do not see spirits, but only all that is body, I also think that spirits do not see what is merely body and that they see all that is spirit.
Each soul serves another soul as a mirror in which to contemplate itself. For whatever takes in an image can serve to reflect it, and whatever sees represents.
“Look, I am your pupil.”
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1799 · Entry 1408
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume I presents the entries on printed pages 32–475. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.