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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[LOCKE] · Entry 2510
French
p. 5019C’est [par] l’art de déguiser les défauts en beautés et les erreurs en vérités que l’esprit et le goût des peuples se gâtent. C’est par l’outré en grandeur, en force, en éclat qu’il se corrompt. Une simplicité affectée n’a qu’un léger inconvénient, celui d’introduire pour quelque temps dans la littérature une mauvaise note. Mais le faste des mots et l’orgueil des pensées, le luxe et la pompe oratoires, s’ils deviennent philosophiques, en corrompent jusqu’aux mœurs. Fontenelle et Lamothe, Buffon et Rousseau.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [LOCKE]
p. 5020It is [through] the art of disguising faults as beauties and errors as truths that the mind and taste of peoples are spoiled. It is through exaggeration in grandeur, in strength, in brilliance that it is corrupted. An affected simplicity has only a slight disadvantage: introducing a bad note into literature for a time. But the ostentation of words and the pride of thoughts, oratorical luxury and pomp, if they become philosophical, corrupt even their morals. Fontenelle and Lamothe, Buffon and Rousseau.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [LOCKE] · Entry 2510
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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.