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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Facing Pages · Branch 3081 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 3081
French
p. 6161Bossuet. S’il avoit pu se concentrer...se contenter des bornes de la poésie; s’il eût appris à jouer de la lyre.
Tous les temps, toutes les doctrines lui étoient sans cesse présens. Toutes les choses et tous les mots. Moins un homme qu’une nature humaine. Force, tempérance, justice, prudence; et les sept dons, science et douceur; et les vertus théologales, patience. Mais la tempérance d’un saint, mais la justice d’un évêque, mais la prudence d’un docteur, mais la force d’un grand esprit...
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 6162Bossuet. If he could have concentrated himself...contented himself with the bounds of poetry; if he had learned to play the lyre.
All times, all doctrines were constantly present to him. All things and all words. Less a man than a human nature. Strength, temperance, justice, prudence; and the seven gifts, knowledge and gentleness; and the theological virtues, patience. But the temperance of a saint, but the justice of a bishop, but the prudence of a doctor, but the strength of a great mind...
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 3081
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.