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 1659 of 3781
[On movement.] · Entry 1659
French
p. 331719 mars.
Dans les mathématiques, il ne s’agit que de demi-abstractions. Car elles n’opèrent que sur des ombres de réalités : la ligne est l’ombre d’un fil ou d’un cheveu tendu, le point est l’ombre d’une pointe, le cercle est l’ombre d’un cerceau. De même donc qu’on détache des objets planes ces figures terminales pour les exposer seules aux yeux, de même par l’abstraction on détache des réalités les qualités ou propriétés qui y sont mises en œuvre pour les exposer seules à l’esprit qui les considère.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On movement.]
p. 3318March 19.
Mathematics deals only with half-abstractions. For it operates only on shadows of realities: a line is the shadow of a stretched thread or hair, a point is the shadow of a tip, a circle is the shadow of a hoop. Just as we detach these bounding figures from flat objects to expose them alone to the eyes, so by abstraction we detach from realities the qualities or properties at work in them to expose them alone to the mind that considers them.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On movement.] · Entry 1659
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.