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 6717

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English Page · Branch 2936 of 4529

According to Plato · Entry 6717

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5871

Tous les lieux communs ont un intérêt éternel. Ils ne sont lieux communs et universels que parce qu’ils plaisent toujours et partout à la nature. C’est l’étoffe uniforme que l’esprit humain a besoin de […]ettre en œuvre quand il veut plaire. Les circonstances y jettent […]ettent — y mêlent — mettent vaut mieux) leur variété.

Les lieux communs. On y est porté par la nature. Tout le monde y plaît.

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

p. 5872

All commonplaces have an eternal interest. They are commonplaces and universal only because they always and everywhere please nature. This is the uniform fabric the human mind needs to [put] to work when it wishes to please. Circumstances throw into it ([put] — mix into it — put is better) their variety.

Commonplaces. We are carried toward them by nature. Everyone pleases there.

T230.The universal terms, human mind, nature and fabric remain. The first [put] contextually interprets mettre from […]ettre. The later [put] chooses contextual mettent from […]ettent, as one of the alternatives to intact jettent; jettent remains another possible reading of the lost opening. The English supplies an opening parenthesis before this alternative to match the intact closing one, without claiming recovered punctuation. The ensuing mix into it and put is better preserve Joubert’s visible revision rather than deleting it. This paragraph continues onto page 757.

T612.The first paragraph continues at the top of page 757, followed by the second distinct paragraph. The first broken opening preserves ettre; the next opening before ettent is also lost, and the intact closing parenthesis remains without supplying its missing opening. In the final y plaît, no complete preceding component or positive lexical remnant is certified at the damaged margin; retain the visible wording. A contextual s’y reading would be an interpretation, not recovered French, and the presence of additional lost material there remains uncertain.

T231.The separate paragraph and repeated nature remain. We expresses generic on. The final sentence literally renders visible Tout le monde y plaît; there refers contextually to commonplaces. The reproduction does not certify a reflexive s’ or additional lost material before y. The familiar reflexive interpretation everyone delights in them would require an unverified intervention, so the English keeps the nonreflexive wording.

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.