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 1811 · Entry 6174

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French Page · Branch 2393 of 4529

YEAR 1811 · Entry 6174

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 4785

15 juin.

(A Lyon.) La logique, la physique, la morale et la métaphysique, si vous voulez les rendre véritablement scholastiques ou classiques pour le fonds et pour le style, doivent être ce que je vais dire : — la physique, moderne; la morale, chinoise; la métaphysique, chrétienne; et la logique, péripatéticienne. Il n’y a que les modernes qui aient bien connu les corps, que les sages chinois qui aient bien raisonné la morale (que la bible enseigne mieux qu’eux). Les Chrétiens ont fixé et réduit en un corps les meilleures opinions sur les substances spirituelles et Aristote a seul traité les abstractions comme elles doivent l’être. Son langage et sa méthode en ce genre sont parfaits. Autant Platon est supérieur à Mallebranche, autant Aristote est supérieur à Locke, à Condillac, etc.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1811

p. 4786

June 15.

(At Lyon.) Logic, physics, moral philosophy and metaphysics, if you wish to make them truly scholastic or classical in substance and in style, must be what I am going to say: — physics, modern; moral philosophy, Chinese; metaphysics, Christian; and logic, Peripatetic. Only the moderns have known bodies well, only the Chinese sages have reasoned out moral philosophy well (which the Bible teaches better than they do). The Christians have fixed and gathered into one body the best opinions on spiritual substances, and Aristotle alone has treated abstractions as they ought to be treated. His language and his method in this kind are perfect. As much as Plato is superior to Malebranche, so much is Aristotle superior to Locke, to Condillac, etc.

T71.The first list and the reordered assignments both remain. Scholastic retains the school-method range supported by the complete 1798 Académie entry, without confining it to a named medieval doctrine; Classical retains both the possible school setting and the authority of approved authors attested by the complete 1798 Classique entry; neither range is silently excluded. Physics and moral philosophy are used in the broad historical subject setting. The exclusive assertions, the Bible parenthesis, the gathered body, and the two superiority comparisons remain Joubert’s judgments. This single paragraph continues onto page 700; no new paragraph or date is created there. Malebranche renders the printed Mallebranche; the doubled l remains in the French.

T210.The whole paragraph continues onto page 700. The opening subject list and later classification list retain their different orders. Scholastiques retains ch, fonds its final s, bible its lower-case b and Chrétiens its capital. Mallebranche has doubled l in the continuation. The comparative pair Autant...autant and the two separate à complements remain. Several initial strokes on page 699 are abraded but support qualified complete readings.

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.