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 3101 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 3101
French
p. 6201[…]9 septembre.
(Ajoutez à l’article Il n’y a pas de son, plus haut :)
Je conçois qu’il y auroit des couleurs, c’est à dire de certaines dispositions de lumière, quand il n’y auroit pas d’yeux. Mais, s’il n’y avoit pas d’ouïe, je ne conçois pas qu’il y eût de l’harmonie : c’est l’esprit qui la fait. On conçoit les clartés, mais non pas les couleurs sans athmosphère ou sans matière. On conçoit l’harmonie sans le concours de l’air, entre des esprits purs. On ne conçoit point les saveurs sans corps, mais si bien le contact, l’odorat aussi. Il y a, dans notre imagination, pour l’esprit pur des affections et des parfums, etc.
Il ne faut pas croire qu’on puisse imaginer sincèrement de l’esprit ce qui ne peut pas lui convenir. Nous en avons une idée ou un sentiment naturel qui ne nous permet pas de le concevoir clairement à notre guise.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 6202September […]9.
(Add to the entry There is no sound, above:)
I conceive that there would be colors, that is, certain arrangements of light, even if there were no eyes. But if there were no hearing, I do not conceive that there would be harmony: it is the mind that makes it. We conceive of brightnesses, but not colors, without atmosphere or matter. We conceive of harmony without the participation of air, between pure spirits. We do not conceive of flavors without bodies, but we can indeed conceive of contact, and smell too. There are, in our imagination, affections and perfumes for pure spirit, etc.
We must not believe that we can sincerely imagine of spirit what cannot befit it. We have a natural idea or feeling of it that does not allow us to conceive it clearly as we please.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 3101
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.