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Joseph Joubert

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I

Name: The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Author: Joseph Joubert

Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.

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The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I[ON KANT.] · Entry 2170

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[ON KANT.] · Entry 2170

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 4339

[SUR KANT.]

Kant (Emmanuel). Il a beaucoup écrit. Ses idées de critique (ou examen) des principes de la raison pure et practique (c’est à dire de la métaphysique et de la morale), du jugement (ou goût dans les beaux arts), du droit (civil et politique), théologie, etc. lui vinrent tard. Son premier ouvrage en ce genre (la Critique de la raison pure) fut imprimé à Riga en 1781 ou 2. Kant avoit alors près de soixante ans. Ses premières idées, parmi les dernières qu’il a adoptées, ne commencent à se débrouiller que dans son discours « de mundi sensibilis atque intelligibilis forma et principiis » prononcé à Kœnigsberg en 1770 : il avoit alors cinquante-six ans. Nous avons de lui, traduits en français, les Observations sur le sentiment du beau et du sublime, publié[es] par l’auteur en 1764; le Projet de paix perpétuelle, 1788; l’Idée d’une histoire universelle écrite dans des vues cosmopolites, 1784.

Charles Devillers, dans sa traduction de l’Idée d’une histoire, publiée en 1798, avoit annoncé qu’il comptoit livrer incessamment au public la traduction du livre intitulé « Critique de la raison pure ». Mais il n’a pas tenu parole. Il ne fait pas même mention de cette promesse dans le livre qu’il vient de publier (août 1801) sous le titre d’ « Exposition de la philosophie de Kant ». La traduction latine qu’on a des œuvres de Kant est écrite d’un style dur, obscur, embarrassé. C’est du vrai latin allemand. Il faut pourtant s’en contenter. La traduction est de Frédérich Gottlob Born, dédiée à [blanc]), 1796, 97, 98. Leipsick.

Nota. — Kant paroit s’être fait à lui-même un langage pénible. Et, comme il lui a été pénible à construire, il est pénible à entendre. Ce qui a fait souvent sans doute qu’il a pris son opération pour sa matière. Il a cru se construire des idées en ne se construisant que des mots. Mais il y a dans ses phrases et ses appréhensions quelque chose de tellement oppaque (et brun) qu’il ne lui étoit guère possible de ne pas croire qu’il y avoit là quelque solidité. C’est le danger où fait naturellement tomber l’esprit de celui qui l’employe un style [ ] et lourd. Nos transparences et nos légèretés nous trompent moins. Il y a un sujet à traiter. Le voici : « Des tromperies que l’esprit se fait à lui-même, selon la nature du langage qu’il employe. » Celui de Kant (langage) est composé de mots abstraits très positifs (c’est à dire d’ombres épaisses). Et ces mots, il les a souvent faits lui-même. A reçu d’eux, par conséquent, toutes les impressions que nous font les réalités.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [ON KANT.]

p. 4340

[ON KANT.]

Kant (Emmanuel). He has written much. His ideas of critique (or examination) of the principles of pure and practical reason (that is, of metaphysics and morality), of judgment (or taste in the fine arts), of law (civil and political), theology, etc. came to him late. His first work of this kind (the Critique of Pure Reason) was printed in Riga in 1781 or 2. Kant was then nearly sixty. His first ideas, among the latest he adopted, begin to disentangle themselves only in his discourse “de mundi sensibilis atque intelligibilis forma et principiis,” delivered at Kœnigsberg in 1770: he was then fifty-six. We have by him, translated into French, the Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and the Sublime, published by the author in 1764; the Project for Perpetual Peace, 1788; the Idea of a Universal History Written with Cosmopolitan Views, 1784.

Charles Devillers, in his translation of the Idea of a History, published in 1798, had announced that he intended shortly to deliver to the public the translation of the book entitled “Critique of Pure Reason.” But he has not kept his word. He does not even mention this promise in the book he has just published (August 1801) under the title “Exposition of Kant’s Philosophy.” The Latin translation we have of Kant’s works is written in a harsh, obscure, tangled style. It is true German Latin. Yet one must be content with it. The translation is by Frédérich Gottlob Born, dedicated to [blank]), 1796, 97, 98. Leipsick.

Note. — Kant seems to have made a laborious language for himself. And as it was laborious for him to construct, it is laborious to understand. This has doubtless often made him take his operation for his material. He believed he was constructing ideas for himself when he was constructing only words. But there is something so opaque (and brown) in his phrases and apprehensions that it was scarcely possible for him not to believe there was some solidity there. This is the danger into which a [ ] and heavy style naturally leads the mind of the person who employs it. Our transparencies and our lightnesses deceive us less. There is a subject to treat. Here it is: “On the deceptions the mind practices upon itself, according to the nature of the language it employs.” Kant’s (language) is composed of very positive abstract words (that is, of thick shadows). And these words he has often made himself. Has therefore received from them all the impressions realities make upon us.

S3.Source editor’s annotationThis short notice on Kant is not in the notebooks. I find it on a separate, undated leaf, which this line allows one to date: “the book he has just published (August 1801).”

T87.The dates, ages, names, and titles are retained as reported in the notice, including nearly sixty and fifty-six; they have not been silently corrected. In publié[es], the source editor supplies a French agreement ending that English published cannot reproduce naturally; no bracket is added to suggest that the entire verb was supplied.

T88.De mundi sensibilis atque intelligibilis forma et principiis means On the form and principles of the sensible and intelligible world. The title remains in Latin in the text.

T271.Printed Emmanuel, practique, Devillers, Frédérich, Leipsick, oppaque and the bibliographic dates/age fifty-six remain as printed, without factual corrections to the French. The source editor’s publié[es], blank [blanc] and empty [ ] are preserved; the unmatched closing parenthesis after [blanc] remains. The right edge on 296 and left edge on 297 clip numerous word beginnings/endings; ordinary completions are supplied from surviving words and syntax, including Kœnigsberg. The final A reçu is a printed fragment without a subject; no Il is supplied. The source-editor [SUR KANT.] heading ends the Savigny section and extends through 297/e02.

T272.The source editor infers a date from an internal August 1801 reminder; the loose leaf has no independent date. The right edge clips endings of trouve and le; completed from the surviving text.

T89.The criticism of the Latin translation is Joubert’s reported judgment. [blank]) retains the source’s supplied blank label and unmatched closing parenthesis. The printed Devillers, Frédérich and Leipsick spellings remain.

T90.Laborious repeats pénible three times. Apprehensions renders appréhensions as acts or forms of apprehending, not anxieties. Opaque, brown, solidity, transparencies, lightnesses, and thick shadows retain the passage’s material images.

T91.Positive preserves positifs in the assertion that abstract words seem definite or substantial. The empty bracket remains empty. The final Has received is left without a supplied subject, as in A reçu.

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.