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 3293 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 3293
French
p. 658531 décembre.
Sans la difficulté, l’art n’existeroit pas. On veut qu’un toit soit soutenu. La nécessité y veut un pilier. Le métier s’y contenteroit d’une poutre. Mais l’art y place une colonne. Cette colonne, il la rêve; d’abord, il l’arrondit. Le métier auroit équarri. Il n’auroit songé qu’au besoin. Mais l’art s’occupe du plaisir, ne travaillant pas seulement pour l’usage, mais pour l’honneur et la mémoire. — Mais prenons garde. A des colonnes il faut un fronton. Des colonnes dans un pignon seroient sans doute ridicules? Je veux du beau. Mais en faut-il partout?
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 6586December 31.
Without difficulty, art would not exist. One wants a roof to be supported. Necessity calls for a pillar there. The craft would be content with a beam. But art places a column there. That column, it dreams of it; first, it rounds it. The craft would have squared it. It would have thought only of the need. But art concerns itself with pleasure, working not only for use but for honor and memory. — But let us take care. Columns require a pediment. Columns in a gable would surely be ridiculous? I want the beautiful. But is it needed everywhere?
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 3293
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.