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 IIAccording to Plato · Entry 6682

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English Page · Branch 2901 of 4529

According to Plato · Entry 6682

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5801

[…] août.

Il n’y a point de beau et de bon style, dans les bons siècles litté[…]res, qui ne soit rempli de finesses, mais de finesses délicates. La […]licatesse et la finesse sont seules les véritables indices du vrai […]ent. Tout s’imite, la force, la gravité, la véhémence et même la […]èreté; mais la finesse et la délicatesse ne peuvent pas être contre[…]tes longtemps. Sans elles, un style sain n’annonce rien qu’un esprit […]oit.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: According to Plato

p. 5802

August […].

In the good [literary] ages, there is no beautiful and good style that is not full of subtleties, but delicate subtleties. [Delicacy] and subtlety alone are the true signs of true [talent]. Everything can be imitated, strength, gravity, vehemence and even [lightness]; but subtlety and delicacy cannot be [counterfeited] for long. Without them, a sound style indicates only an [upright] mind.

T189.The repetitions of true, delicacy and subtlety remain. Beautiful and good are conjunctive, and for long limits the claim about counterfeiting. Sound and upright preserve separate judgments. [Literary], [Delicacy], [talent], [lightness], [counterfeited] and [upright] contextually render littéraires, délicatesse, talent, légèreté, contrefaites and droit from their damaged printed forms. The August day is wholly unreadable.

T578.The day is wholly unreadable. The left-edge losses remain explicit in the wrapped litté[…]res/contre[…]tes and the other four damaged word openings. Before res a narrow vertical remnant does not certify a complete i; before èreté the preceding descending fragment does not establish g. The initial Il and final qualified o of […]oit remain identifiable despite abrasion.

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.