Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
Explore the LexiconSwipe or use the arrow keys.
Facing Pages · Branch 1916 of 3781
TRAVEL · Entry 1916
French
p. 383113 octobre (id.)
Jeunes... Ils donnent à leur esprit beaucoup d’exercice et lui donnent peu d’alimentation.
Le soir. Dire et scavoir que le monde a commencé en des temps incertains et infiniment reculés, c’est vérité. Mais avoir assigné une époque fixe et calculable à ce commencement du monde, c’est sagesse. L’esprit humain est en repos. Sa curiosité est contente — Buffon disoit que le génie n’est que l’aptitude à la patience. L’aptitude à la patience ou à une longue et infatigable attention est en effet le génie de l’observation, mais le génie de l’invention est l’aptitude à une vive et prompte et perpétuelle pénétration.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: TRAVEL
p. 3832October 13 (id.)
The young... They give their mind much exercise and give it little nourishment.
Evening. To say and know that the world began in uncertain and infinitely remote times is truth. But to have assigned a fixed and calculable epoch to this beginning of the world is wisdom. The mind of man is at rest. Its curiosity is content — Buffon used to say that genius is only an aptitude for patience. Aptitude for patience, or for long and tireless attention, is indeed the genius of observation; but the genius of invention is an aptitude for lively and prompt and perpetual penetration.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · TRAVEL · Entry 1916
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.