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 1664 of 3781
[On movement.] · Entry 1664
French
p. 332728 mars.
Du monde connu des anciens. — Qu’il sembloit plus proportionné à l’étendue de l’humaine intelligence. Que la cause en est qu’ils scavoient mieux que nous envisager toutes choses d’une manière propre à les soumettre à leur esprit. Que le nôtre est encor dans l’étonnement de nos nouvelles découvertes et qu’au lieu de le dégager de cette affectation nous affectons un genre d’éloquence propre à le renforcer en nous de plus en plus. Qu’au lieu d’agrandir nos pensées nous agrandissons leurs objets, présentant l’extraordinaire et cherchant à frapper les yeux. Qu’au lieu d’élever notre esprit au-dessus du monde et de toutes choses nous élevons toutes choses au dessus de notre esprit. Que nous nous faisons nains pour montrer des géans et nous rapetissons pour rendre nos conceptions plus colossales. Que l’esprit doit tout dominer et que tant qu’il est dominé c’est parce qu’il s’est mal placé.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On movement.]
p. 3328March 28.
On the world known to the ancients. — That it seemed more proportionate to the reach of human intelligence. That the reason is that they knew better than we do how to view all things in a way that would subject them to their mind. That ours is still astonished by our new discoveries, and instead of freeing it from this affectation, we affect a kind of eloquence apt to strengthen that astonishment in us more and more. That instead of enlarging our thoughts, we enlarge their objects, presenting the extraordinary and seeking to strike the eyes. That instead of raising our mind above the world and all things, we raise all things above our mind. That we make ourselves dwarfs to show giants, and shrink ourselves to make our conceptions more colossal. That the mind must dominate everything, and that as long as it is dominated, it is because it has placed itself badly.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On movement.] · Entry 1664
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.