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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English Page · Branch 1628 of 3781
[On movement.] · Entry 1628
French
p. 3255La méthode sert à transmettre la forme de l’enseignement. Elle sert à s’enquérir et à rechercher. Mais elle ne sert point à connoître. Quant à celle qui peut servir à retenir et à lier nos connoissances, chacun se fait la sienne et l’ajuste à ses habitudes. Aucune méthode étrangère ne peut nous servir en ceci, à moins que par hazard elle ne se trouve juste à nous ou qu’on puisse se l’ajuster. L’expérience fait l’art, l’inexpérience la fortune. On fait des découvertes en cherchant et des trouvailles par hazard.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On movement.]
p. 3256Method serves to transmit the form of teaching. It serves for inquiry and research. But it does not serve for knowing. As for the method that may serve to retain and connect our knowledge, each makes his own and fits it to his habits. No method foreign to us can serve us here, unless by chance it fits us exactly or we can fit it to ourselves. Experience makes art, inexperience makes luck. We make discoveries by searching and lucky finds by chance.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On movement.] · Entry 1628
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.