Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition

Joseph Joubert

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I

Name: The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Author: Joseph Joubert

Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.

Explore the Lexicon

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I[SAVIGNY NOTEBOOK] · Entry 2166

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 2166 of 3781

[SAVIGNY NOTEBOOK] · Entry 2166

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 4331

Cela ressemble bien un peu en effet à un égoïsme transcendantal, c’est à dire à un état de l’esprit où l’on n’admettroit comme réalité que soi, et tout le reste comme phénomène. Aussi la nature, de peur qu’on n’abusât d’une telle philosophie, nous l’a rendue difficile à concevoir.

Et cette doctrine, en effet, semble quelquefois abolir le monde, non par l’intention de l’auteur et de ses partisans, mais par l’effet naturel, matériel et non voulu de leur chose.

Ce n’est pas seulement le langage de l’école qu’il réforme, mais le langage humain qu’il anéantit.

Non par ses conséquences, mais par ses impressions.

S1.Source editor’s annotationSuit une biographie de Kant. Elle se termine ainsi : « On vient de rédiger et de publier sa logique. Il a donné une antropologie. — Mais l’essentiel de sa doctrine est renfermé dans les trois Critiques. Il va paroître de lui une géographie physique, rédigée et mise à jour par son ami Mʳ le professeur Ring. Il met encore la dernière main à un ouvrage intitulé Transition de la métaphysique à la physique. Sa doctrine a été défendue par le gouvernement de plusieurs pays; elle a été mal vue dans presque tous. » Puis Joubert note, au crayon, ceci : « Hobbes, pour M. de Chateaubriand. » Viennent ensuite, à la date du 31 août 1801, plusieurs pages d’extraits (si je ne me trompe) de Kant. Joubert a bien compris le système de Kant. « Démontrer l’influence de la nature de l’entendement sur la nature des connoissances. En effet, voilà son but clairement exprimé. Vid. pag. 130. » Puis : « Métaphysique des enfans... Elle est bonne, quoiqu’il en dise. » Puis : « Distinction de deux espèces d’abstraction. Temps, espace, formes inhérentes à nous et dont nous revêtons tout ce qui est introduit en nous. Voy. tout ce chapitre. » A la fin du cahier, quelques pensées qui n’ont plus trait à Kant et que je reproduis.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [SAVIGNY NOTEBOOK]

p. 4332

This does indeed bear some resemblance to a transcendental egoism, that is, to a state of mind in which one would admit only oneself as reality and everything else as phenomenon. Thus nature, for fear that we might abuse such a philosophy, has made it difficult for us to conceive.

And this doctrine does indeed sometimes seem to abolish the world, not through the intention of the author and his adherents, but through the natural, material, and unintended effect of their thing.

It is not only the language of the schools that he reforms, but the language of man that he annihilates.

Not through its consequences, but through its impressions.

T82.Egoism retains égoïsme, defined within the passage as admitting only oneself as reality. It is not reduced to a claim about selfish conduct.

T83.Their thing preserves the deliberately unspecific leur chose rather than silently replacing it with system or doctrine.

S1.Source editor’s annotationA biography of Kant follows. It ends thus: “His logic has just been compiled and published. He has given an anthropology. — But the essentials of his doctrine are contained in the three Critiques. A physical geography by him is about to appear, compiled and brought up to date by his friend Professor Ring. He is still putting the finishing touches to a work entitled Transition from Metaphysics to Physics. His doctrine has been prohibited by the governments of several countries; it has been ill received in almost all.” Then Joubert notes this in pencil: “Hobbes, for M. de Chateaubriand.” Next, under the date August 31, 1801, come several pages of extracts (unless I am mistaken) from Kant. Joubert has understood Kant’s system well. “To demonstrate the influence of the nature of the understanding upon the nature of knowledge. Indeed, there is his purpose clearly expressed. Vid. pag. 130.” Then: “Children’s metaphysics... It is good, whatever he may say of it.” Then: “Distinction between two kinds of abstraction. Time, space, forms inherent in us with which we clothe everything introduced into us. See this whole chapter.” At the end of the notebook, a few thoughts no longer concerning Kant, which I reproduce.

T84.Its selects the doctrine or thing as the possessor of consequences and impressions; the source ses can also refer to the author. The separate fragment remains.

T92.Prohibited reads défendue with the governments and the following ill received as its context. The source’s Ring remains without replacing it with an inferred name. Anthropology translates printed antropologie; its French spelling remains.

T93.Vid. pag. 130 means See page 130. The statements that Joubert understood Kant and that the extracts are probably from Kant are Beaunier’s judgments, not new translator claims. His reported notebook dates remain in the annotation.

T269.The right scan edge clips multiple word endings, including de, Mais, paroître, le, intitulé, défendue, presque, système, nature, Puis, Voy. and trait; ordinary completions are supplied from the visible stems and syntax. Printed antropologie and Ring are retained, not silently standardized. The reported 31 août 1801 extracts and bibliographic dates remain source apparatus.

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.