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 1872 of 3781
[On Locke] · Entry 1872
French
p. 37439 août.
Locke. Son livre est imparfait. Son sujet n’y est point tout entier; et il ne l’avoit point dans l’esprit par avance. Il se jette sur des parcelles qu’il divise et qu’il subdivise. Il quitte le tronc pour les branches et son ouvrage est trop rameux.
C’est un fagot de questions souvent épineuses.
Il éclaircit les questions dont on s’occupoit, mais il n’en propose point de nouvelles, de meilleures. (Il déblaya la rive, mais il n’a point jetté de pont.) Il dispose ceppendant l’esprit à s’éclairer. Il l’y détermine et l’y induit plus qu’il ne l’y etc.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Locke]
p. 3744August 9.
Locke. His book is imperfect. Its subject is not wholly there; nor did he have it in mind beforehand. He throws himself on particles that he divides and subdivides. He leaves the trunk for the branches, and his work is too branchy.
It is a bundle of often thorny questions.
He clarifies the questions people were occupied with, but proposes no new, better ones. (He cleared the bank, but has thrown no bridge across.) Yet he disposes the mind to enlighten itself. He determines and induces it to do so more than he etc.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Locke] · Entry 1872
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.