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 5350

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Facing Pages · Branch 1569 of 4529

YEAR 1807 · Entry 5350

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 3137

27 juin.

L’organisation. En faites vous dépendre aussi la droiture et ses sentimens? Les sentimens! C’est ici que l’âme se montre telle qu’elle est; enfin avec ses différences spécifiques et innées.

Organisation. Deux hommes avec la même perfection d’organisation auront des âmes imparfaites. Mais chacun d’eux, si son organisation dépérit, ne pourront pas aussi bien développer leurs âmes propres, (sic) car la communication avec les objets extérieurs est trompée. Ainsi, quand les fenêtres de ma chambre sont fermées ou obscurcies, je vois moins bien, mais ma force visuelle ne dépend pas de ma maison.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1807

p. 3138

June 27.

Organization. Do you also make rectitude and its sentiments depend on it? Sentiments! Here the soul shows itself as it is; at last with its specific and innate differences.

Organization. Two men with the same perfection of organization will have imperfect souls. But each of them, if his organization declines, will not be able to develop their own souls as well, (sic) for communication with external objects is deceived. Thus, when the windows of my room are closed or darkened, I see less well, but my power of sight does not depend on my house.

T81.Organization here concerns the bodily constitution and its organs, as the following paragraph’s window analogy indicates. The repeated term and sentiments are kept rather than narrowed to anatomy and emotions. Its follows the printed ses without replacing it by demonstrative these.

T261.Two physical paragraphs are retained; Ainsi begins at the continuation margin within paragraph 2. Faites vous is unhyphenated. The first paragraph prints ses sentimens before Les sentimens. The second retains singular chacun followed by plural pourront and leurs, together with the source’s italic sic; no grammatical repair is made. The comma before (sic) and the printed trompée are retained.

T82.The English keeps the source’s movement from singular each and his to plural their own souls; the French plural verb after chacun cannot be distinctly marked by English will. The source’s italic (sic) remains in the text. Deceived retains trompée rather than substituting obstructed. The windows affect seeing, while the power of sight is said not to depend on the house.

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.