Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 1418 of 4529
YEAR 1807 · Entry 5199
French
p. 28352 avril.
Egalité des âmes. — Y a-t-il des âmes plus parfaites, plus belles, enfin plus semblables à Dieu que d’autres? — Cette question devient plus accessible dans sa hauteur en y entrant par ce côté. Or, pour bien résoudre une question, une certaine industrie est aussi nécessaire que la force.
Les Anges inégaux. Opinion du genre humain et consentement universel sur ce sujet.
Inégalité des esprits. C’est une question différente. Si — aux organes, la supériorité de vuës tient donc à la supériorité des lunettes et la prééminence des forces à la seule prééminence des leviers. Mais peut être au contraire ces différences tiennent à l’inégalité des vues, ou de la faculté de voir appliquée aux mêmes lunettes, et à l’inégalité de force appliquée aux mêmes leviers...
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1807
p. 2836April 2.
Equality of souls. — Are there souls more perfect, more beautiful, finally more like God than others? — This question becomes more accessible in its height when one enters it from this side. Now, to resolve a question well, a certain ingenuity is as necessary as strength.
The unequal Angels. Opinion of the human race and universal agreement on this subject.
Inequality of minds. That is a different question. If — to the organs, superiority of vision therefore depends on the superiority of the spectacles, and preeminence of forces solely on the preeminence of the levers. But perhaps, on the contrary, these differences depend on the inequality of vision, or of the faculty of seeing applied to the same spectacles, and on the inequality of force applied to the same levers...
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1807 · Entry 5199
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 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.