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 1963 of 3781
TRAVEL · Entry 1963
French
p. 392530 août.
Que Locke a deux obscurités dans sa manière de s’exprimer. 1° sur les essences; car, quoiqu’il distingue la nominale de la réelle, il semble souvent les confondre; 2° sur les idées, qu’il confond quelquefois avec les sensations, comme lorsqu’il dit que la douleur est une idée, et l’idée de la douleur. Il n’est pas vrai que la sensation ne se reçoit que par l’idée. Néanmoins il faut les distinguer pour la clarté, et elles le sont réellement, au moins comme degrés.
Degrés : 1° existence, 2° impression (par contact ou par influence), 3° sensation (ou transmission sentie), 4° idée ou sentiment de la sensation, dernier degré.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: TRAVEL
p. 3926August 30.
That Locke has two obscurities in his manner of expression. 1° concerning essences; for, although he distinguishes nominal from real, he often seems to confuse them; 2° concerning ideas, which he sometimes confuses with sensations, as when he says that pain is an idea, and the idea of pain. It is not true that sensation is received only through the idea. Nevertheless they must be distinguished for clarity, and they really are distinct, at least as degrees.
Degrees: 1° existence, 2° impression (through contact or through influence), 3° sensation (or transmission felt), 4° idea or feeling of the sensation, the final degree.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · TRAVEL · Entry 1963
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.