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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French Page · Branch 1299 of 3781
YEAR 1799 · Entry 1299
French
p. 259722 mars.
Il y a des mots qui sont à d’autres ce que le genre est à l’espèce ou ce que l’espèce est au genre. Par exemple piler, fouler; piler est une manière de fouler : il est genre, fouler est espèce. Car il y a plusieurs manières de fouler. Les mots qui sont espèce ont un sens plus vague, plus ample. Ils ont de la largesse et sont flottants. C’est pour cela qu’ils conviennent mieux au style très noble. Les mots genre conviennent mieux au style concis. Ils pressent le sens, ils le serrent et s’y ajustent, ils s’y collent. C’est un habit d’utilité, un juste au corps. Les autres sont toge et manteau, robe ou casaque de décence, de dignité et de parade.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1799
p. 2598March 22.
There are words that stand to others as genus to species or as species to genus. For example, to pound, to press; to pound is a way of pressing: it is genus, to press is species. For there are several ways of pressing. Words that are species have a vaguer, ampler sense. They have breadth and float loosely. That is why they better suit a very noble style. Genus words better suit a concise style. They press the meaning, squeeze it and fit themselves to it, cling to it. It is a garment for use, a close-fitting coat. The others are toga and cloak, robe or tunic of decorum, dignity, and display.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1799 · Entry 1299
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.