Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition

Joseph Joubert

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II

Name: The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Author: Joseph Joubert

Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.

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The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II1812 · Entry 6352

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French Page · Branch 2571 of 4529

1812 · Entry 6352

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5141

(Journal du jour. Article M. B. 11 mai.) « L’architecture... de tous […] arts le plus ami de l’ordre » ... « Ne s’accomode ni de la grandeur […] de la petitesse extrêmes ». C’est que l’homme en est la mesure. Il […] crée à son image et tout ce qui est trop grand ou trop petit n’est […]us en proportion avec lui. « Pour moi (dit Mʳ Boutard) je trouve la […]lonne au dessus de cinquante pieds trop haute, et au dessous de dix […]eds trop petite. » En hauteur donc la plus petite proportion pour […] colonne est le double de notre taille et la plus grande le décuple. […]ilà qui est bien pour les hauteurs. Mais les longueurs ou les lar[…]urs des édifices, quelle en est la proportion? où finit le plaisir dans […] alignement soit des ailes soit de la façade d’un bâtiment? « Le […]gantesque lui messied ». Le trop d’allongement aussi sans doute.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: 1812

p. 5142

(The day’s newspaper. Article M. B. May 11.) “Architecture... of all [the] arts the most friendly to order” ... “Accommodates itself neither to extreme greatness [nor] to extreme smallness.” That is because man is its measure. He creates [it] in his image, and everything too great or too small is no [longer] in proportion to him. “For my part (says Mr. Boutard), I find the [column] above fifty feet too high, and below ten [feet] too small.” In height, then, the smallest proportion for [the] column is double our stature, and the greatest tenfold. [That] is well for heights. But the lengths or [widths] of buildings, what is their proportion? where does pleasure end in [an] alignment of either the wings or the façade of a building? “The [gigantic] ill becomes it.” Too much lengthening, doubtless, does also.

T127.The separate quoted spans, periodical initials and date cue, parenthetic attribution and measurements remain. The three dots after the first closing quote and the lower-case where after the question mark follow the French. Creates preserves present crée. Feet renders pieds without a modern conversion. Alignment renders alignement, distinct from the final allongement or lengthening. The contextual [the] before arts, [nor], [it], [longer], [column], [feet], [the] before column, [That], [widths], [an] and [gigantic] correspond respectively to les, ni, la, plus, colonne, pieds, la, Voilà, largeurs, un and gigantesque at the marked source losses; these readings do not restore French print. The later lost article before column is taken as la, but the residue does not independently determine it. The literal one-m accomode is retained in French. No original newspaper issue is claimed as checked.

T459.The date 11 mai belongs to the periodical reference within the opening parenthesis; it is not a new date heading. M. B. and Boutard remain as printed without a bibliographical expansion. The r after M is small and raised. The left edge loses the components before arts, de la petitesse, crée, us, lonne, eds, colonne, ilà, urs, alignement and gantesque. Context suggests les, ni, la, plus, colonne, pieds, la, Voilà, largeurs, un and gigantesque, but these are not recovered French. In the surviving fragments the initial l of lonne, e of eds, i of ilà, u of urs and g of gantesque remain qualified for abrasion. The native crop supports the literal one-m spelling accomode and the three dots after the first closing quotation. Only the surviving […]gantesque is italic. Lowercase où after the question mark, the quoted boundaries and all comparative measurements remain.

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 II continues the notebooks and includes seventy undated pieces. 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.