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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English Page · Branch 1461 of 4529
YEAR 1807 · Entry 5242
French
p. 2921Des lignes. Belles lignes. Les lignes, fondement de toute beauté. Mais il est des arts où il faut qu’elles soient visibles : l’architecture, par exemple; l’architecture se contente de les parer. Dans quelques-uns même il faut qu’elles demeurent pures et que rien ne les altère et ne les déguise, comme dans les compartimens des jardins à fleurs et surtout dans les avenues. Car il faut que toute avenue soit large, ouverte, droite et longue autant qu’il se peut, comme pour inviter de loin, pour rappeller de loin. Il est d’autres arts où les lignes doivent se cacher avec soin; par exemple la statuaire : elles le sont toujours suffisamment par les couleurs dans toute peinture bien faite. La nature elle même les cache, les enfonce et les recouvre dans les êtres vivans. Il faut, pour être beaux, qu’ils montrent peu leurs lignes. Car le squelette est dans les lignes, la vie est dans les contours : ils sont plus pleins dans la santé.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1807
p. 2922Of lines. Beautiful lines. Lines, the foundation of all beauty. But there are arts in which they must be visible: architecture, for example; architecture is content to adorn them. In some, indeed, they must remain pure, and nothing must alter or disguise them, as in the divisions of flower gardens and especially in avenues. For every avenue must be broad, open, straight, and as long as possible, as though to invite from afar, to call back from afar. There are other arts in which lines must carefully hide themselves; statuary, for example: they are always sufficiently hidden by colors in any well-made painting. Nature herself hides them, sinks them, and covers them over in living beings. To be beautiful, these must show little of their lines. For the skeleton is in the lines, life is in the contours: they are fuller in health.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1807 · Entry 5242
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.