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 1596 of 3781
YEAR 1800 · Entry 1596
French
p. 3191Ces philosophes nomment pur, dans les conceptions de l’esprit, ce qui est décharné, (décoloré, sans mouvement et sans chaleur, inanimé). Cette philosophie est, par ses opérations, une véritable chymie et ce qui est intellectuel, ainsi passé par le creuset, ne laisse de lui qu’un résidu susceptible d’être nommé, mais non de se peindre dans la pensée et d’exciter le sentiment.
Par exemple, ils dépouillent le sens du mot passion de tout ce qu’il pourroit offrir à l’esprit de mouvement et de chaleur. Ils font même abstraction de la moralité et vous disent (comme Descartes) la passion est tout ce qui peut survenir de nouveau en un subject déjà formé. Ils tâchent de se faire un langage intelligible, clair, exact en bannissant tout ce qui peut être sensible, éclatant, matériel, comme les géomètres offrent à l’esprit des lignes sans largeur, des points sans profondeur.
Et, dans les actions du corps (s’ils en usent pour expliquer leurs pensées) ils choisissent celles qui sont les plus proprement machinales, je veux dire les plus exemptes de douleur et de délectation, comme marcher, remuer le bras. (Vid. Descartes et Malebranche.) En tout cela il y a un milieu.
Nota. Délectation au lieu de plaisir. En quoi et pourquoi il est mieux assorti et plus ordinaire à leur style.
Ils veulent que les objets se peignent dans leurs pensées et que leurs pensées se peignent dans leurs expressions comme l’homme est peint dans les estampes de la névrologie, ou telle qu’est une feuille dont les insectes ont dévoré le plein et dans laquelle il ne demeure que de subtils linéamens.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1800
p. 3192In the mind’s conceptions, these philosophers call pure what is stripped of flesh, (deprived of color, without movement and without heat, inanimate). This philosophy is, in its operations, a true chemistry, and what is intellectual, passed thus through the crucible, leaves of itself only a residue that can be named, but cannot paint itself in thought or arouse feeling.
For example, they strip the meaning of the word passion of everything it might offer the mind in movement and heat. They even abstract from morality and tell you (like Descartes) passion is everything new that can arise in a subject already formed. They try to make for themselves an intelligible, clear, exact language by banishing everything that can be sensible, brilliant, material, as geometers offer the mind lines without breadth, points without depth.
And among the body’s actions (if they use them to explain their thoughts), they choose those most properly mechanical, I mean those most free of pain and delectation, such as walking, moving the arm. (Vid. Descartes and Malebranche.) In all this there is a middle way.
Note. Delectation instead of pleasure. In what way and why it is better suited and more usual in their style.
They want objects to paint themselves in their thoughts and their thoughts to paint themselves in their expressions as man is depicted in the engravings of neurology, or like a leaf whose substance insects have devoured and in which only delicate lineaments remain.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1800 · Entry 1596
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.