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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French Page · Branch 3605 of 3781
[Malebranche.] · Entry 3605
French
p. 7209I. Un peuple (ou plutôt la multitude) n’a pas besoin de tenir des loix ou des conventions une puissance qu’il tient de sa force, laquelle lui vient de son nombre. Ainsi cette déclaration est au moins inutile. (Il faut apprendre au peuple à contenir cette force, comme il faut apprendre aux rois à modérer leur authorité.)
II. C’est la puissance qui ne vient que des conventions et du consentement qui a besoin d’être déclarée.
III. Il est nécessaire dans cette machine que la multitude oublie ses droits et que le chef oublie sa faiblesse. Mais etc.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [Malebranche.]
p. 7210I. A people (or rather the multitude) has no need to derive from laws or conventions a power it derives from its strength, which comes to it from its numbers. Thus this declaration is at least useless. (The people must be taught to contain this strength, as kings must be taught to moderate their authority.)
II. It is power that comes only from conventions and consent that needs to be declared.
III. It is necessary in this machine for the multitude to forget its rights and for the leader to forget his weakness. But etc.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [Malebranche.] · Entry 3605
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.