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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Facing Pages · Branch 1198 of 3781
YEAR 1799 · Entry 1198
French
p. 2395Qu’il seroit possible qu’il n’y eût qu’un élément primitif dont les autres ne seroient que les divers sédimens. Par exemple, le feu, son premier sédiment seroit l’air, le sédiment de l’air seroit l’eau, le sédiment de l’eau seroit la terre; les pierres, les métaux etc. pourroient être les sédimens de la terre. Ajoutez que c’est par le mouvement et l’action des principes que les sédimens forment, qu’ils ont plus de compacité que les principes jusqu’à ce que les plus durs se résolvent eux-mêmes. Et d’autres sédimens qui en se sublimisant remontent aux premiers principes, par exemple les métaux, ont des scories qui ressemblent à la terre. Cette terre devient vapeur ou eau, cette eau redevient air, et cet air redevient feu. C’est par cette circulation que les quatre grands élémens sont inépuisables et par là même sont immortels, indestructibles.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1799
p. 2396That there might be only one original element, of which the others would be merely the various sediments. Fire, for example: its first sediment would be air, the sediment of air would be water, the sediment of water would be earth; stones, metals, etc. might be the sediments of earth. Add that it is through the movement and action of the principles that sediments form, that they are more compact than the principles until the hardest themselves dissolve. And other sediments that rise again to the first principles through sublimation—for example, metals—have slags that resemble earth. This earth becomes vapor or water, this water becomes air again, and this air becomes fire again. It is through this circulation that the four great elements are inexhaustible and thus immortal, indestructible.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1799 · Entry 1198
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.