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 3414 of 3781
YEAR 1804 · Entry 3414
French
p. 6827Combien de peines à se donner pour ne pas écrire comme ceux qui écrivent mal. Ces gens là font du mal au bon goût, même par la déplaisance profonde qu’ils lui inspirent et qui sert à graver en lui les impressions qu’il en reçoit. C’est ainsi qu’une contagion laisse des traces d’elle même en creusant les parties qu’elle affecte douloureusement. Elle gâte au moins les surfaces, si elle n’altère pas le fonds. Il faut féliciter ceux qui ont un style nul, quand ils ne peuvent pas avoir un beau style. Point de milieu! Ils ne font point de mal et peuvent même faire du bien en disant des choses sensées qu’ils rappellent à la mémoire et qu’ils conservent dans le monde s’ils ne les y introduisent pas. Conserver! est un grand bienfait et sans lequel celui de créer dureroit peu.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1804
p. 6828How many pains one must take to avoid writing like those who write badly. Those people harm good taste even through the profound displeasure they inspire in it, which serves to engrave in it the impressions it receives from them. It is thus that a contagion leaves traces of itself by hollowing out the parts it painfully affects. It spoils at least the surfaces, if it does not alter the substance. One must congratulate those who have a null style when they cannot have a beautiful style. No middle ground! They do no harm and may even do good by saying sensible things that they recall to memory and preserve in the world, if they do not introduce them into it. To preserve! is a great benefit, and without it the benefit of creating would not last long.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1804 · Entry 3414
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.