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 IIYEAR 1807 · Entry 5295

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Facing Pages · Branch 1514 of 4529

YEAR 1807 · Entry 5295

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 3027

Fontanes. Il cherche dans ses sociétés, non ce qu’il a de plus exquis et de plus semblable à lui même, mais ce qu’il peut désirer de plus commode, de plus propre à se prêter à ses variations. — et, comme diroit Ninon, « des âmes de bouillie, des esprits de papier mâché », enfin « des opinions de citrouille, fricassées dans de la neige ».

Quant à M. - - un esprit charmant quand il plaît, aimable quand il est aimé. C’est de M - - qu’il est vrai de dire : « Qui plaît est roi; qui ne plaît plus n’est rien. »

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1807

p. 3028

Fontanes. In his social circles he seeks not what is most exquisite in him and most like himself, but what he may desire as most convenient, most suited to yielding to his variations. — and, as Ninon would say, “souls of porridge, minds of papier-mâché,” finally “opinions of pumpkin, fricasseed in snow.”

As for M. - - a charming mind when he pleases, lovable when he is loved. It is of M - - that one can truly say: “Whoever pleases is king; whoever no longer pleases is nothing.”

T40.The French prints ce qu’il a, not ce qu’il y a; what is most exquisite in him preserves that possessive construction. Porridge, papier-mâché, pumpkin, and fricasseeing in snow retain the unusual images. Ninon remains a source attribution without an independently established quotation.

T224.Two physical paragraphs are retained. The facsimile confirms ce qu’il a. The clipped right edge affects the end of comme and quotation punctuation after mâché; these are qualified readings from surviving traces and sentence structure. The two separated hyphens after M. and M are retained, with a period only in the first abbreviation. The first clause of paragraph 2 remains nominal.

S1.Source editor’s annotationWord?...

T41.Both separated hyphens remain, with a period only after the first M. Charming when he pleases and lovable when loved retain the repeated relations. The source editor’s Word?... is a separate query; it does not establish an identification or authorize filling the name.

T225.The query and following three periods are retained; no identification is supplied.

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.