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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English Page · Branch 2337 of 3781
[LOCKE] · Entry 2337
French
p. 467322 janvier.
Mʳ de Bonald. — L’homme malsain n’auroit donc pas une constitution conforme à la volonté de Dieu. Mais pourquoi pas?
Il sembleroit à vous entendre qu’aucun état ne périt que par le vice de sa constitution. Un état bien constitué peut cependant être détruit par mille causes extérieures.
S’il s’ensuit d’une idée telle autre idée, — à la bonne heure, — pour ceux qui l’ont! Mais quand il s’ensuivroit d’un mot tel autre mot qu’importeroit au fonds à ceux qui l’ont dit ou qui le laissent dire sans y attacher beaucoup d’importance?
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [LOCKE]
p. 4674January 22.
Mr. de Bonald. — An unhealthy man, then, would not have a constitution in keeping with God’s will. But why not?
To hear you, it would seem that no state perishes except through a defect in its constitution. Yet a well-constituted state can be destroyed by a thousand external causes.
If a certain other idea follows from an idea,—very well,—for those who hold it! But even if a certain other word followed from a word, what would it matter, at bottom, to those who have said it or who let it be said without attaching much importance to it?
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [LOCKE] · Entry 2337
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.