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 2992 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 2992
French
p. 5983Comme de nos regards il se fait en nous quelque chose dont l’esprit forme des pensées; de même, des pensées de notre esprit, il se fait pour ainsi parler à la surface de l’âme quelque chose dont l’âme peut se faire des vérités, des sentimens, des objets de contemplation, d’amour, de crainte; — et : qu’il n’est point de contemplation où l’âme ne prenne part, quoiqu’elle n’en prenne aucune aux simples observations.
Et ceci explique très bien pourquoi les sciences purement exactes, ou même les autres trop scolastiquement traitées, sont et seront toujours, malgré les siècles et leurs modes, inférieures à etc. Ce sont, en quelque sorte, et par leur nature même, des sciences sans âme. — ou qui n’ont pas besoin de l’âme. Or rien n’est beau que l’âme, qui a été faite à l’image du beau.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 5984Just as from our gazes something forms within us out of which the mind makes thoughts; so, from the thoughts of our mind, something forms, so to speak, on the surface of the soul, out of which the soul can make for itself truths, feelings, objects of contemplation, of love, of fear; — and: that there is no contemplation in which the soul does not take part, though it takes none in mere observations.
And this explains very well why the purely exact sciences, or even the others treated too scholastically, are and always will be, despite the centuries and their fashions, inferior to etc. They are, in a way, and by their very nature, sciences without a soul. — or that have no need of the soul. Now nothing is beautiful but the soul, which was made in the image of the beautiful.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 2992
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.