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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Facing Pages · Branch 2098 of 4529
YEAR 1809 · Entry 5879
French
p. 419529 janvier.
Ainsi Rollin brille par les mœurs et Fénelon aussi; Platon par l’intelligence, J.-J. Rousseau par les passions. Les premiers ont un effet imperceptible, le dernier émeut fortement. Ils ont l’ἦθος. lui le πάθος.
Nous appellons pathos un pathétique manqué, un faux pathétique; ce n’est pas dans ce sens qu’il faut l’entendre ici.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1809
p. 4196January 29.
Thus Rollin shines through his morals, and so does Fénelon; Plato through intellect, J.-J. Rousseau through the passions. The former have an imperceptible effect; the last moves us powerfully. They have ethos. he, pathos.
What we call pathos is a failed appeal to emotion, a false appeal to emotion; that is not the sense in which it should be understood here.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1809 · Entry 5879
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.