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 1269 of 3781
YEAR 1799 · Entry 1269
French
p. 25373 mars.
Des fables et de la crédulité dans les sciences physiques qui dépendent des yeux. Combien elles révoltent et pourquoi. Du poids, de la mesure et de la rigueur géométrique dans les sciences morales qui dépendent de l’imagination. Combien elles déplaisent et pourquoi. Le palpable et le merveilleux doivent s’exclure.
Des fables et du merveilleux dans les sciences physiques. Ont quelque chose d’odieux. Il semble qu’il y a à y croire plus de duperie que de bonne foi et à les répandre plus de présomption que de légèreté.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1799
p. 2538March 3.
Of fables and credulity in the physical sciences, which depend on the eyes. How they revolt us, and why. Of weight, measure, and geometric rigor in the moral sciences, which depend on imagination. How they displease us, and why. The palpable and the marvelous must exclude one another.
Of fables and the marvelous in the physical sciences. Have something odious about them. It seems there is more gullibility than good faith in believing them, and more presumption than levity in spreading them.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1799 · Entry 1269
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.