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 2280 of 4529
YEAR 1810 · Entry 6061
French
p. 455916 février.
Ils disoient « qu’on puise la religion dans les livres sacrés, la mythologie dans les fables, la connoissance de la nature dans la philosophie, les faits dans l’histoire et la morale dans le monde qui en est le grand livre... Que ce soit sans anticiper d’une matière à l’autre; car si vous venez à les confondre, vous faites un galimatias... A plus forte raison ne doit on pas insérer dans un roman des vérités grandes, capitales, essentielles... On y lit les choses les plus incontestables comme celles qui sont les plus éloignées du bon sens. » En effet, comme les aventures y sont feintes, les maximes peuvent y paroître feintes aussi; et le sérieux, le grave doivent sembler n’y être placés que pour l’amusement. (Vid. Critique du Télémaque.)
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1810
p. 4560February 16.
They said “that one draws religion from sacred books, mythology from fables, knowledge of nature from philosophy, facts from history, and morality from the world, which is its great book... Let this be without encroaching from one subject on another; for if you come to confuse them, you make a jumble... With all the more reason, one must not insert great, cardinal, essential truths in a novel... There one reads the most incontestable things like those farthest removed from common sense.” Indeed, since the adventures in it are feigned, the maxims may appear feigned too; and what is serious, what is grave must seem to be placed there only for amusement. (Vid. Critique du Télémaque.)
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1810 · Entry 6061
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.