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 II1812 · Entry 6325

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Facing Pages · Branch 2544 of 4529

1812 · Entry 6325

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5087

23 avril.

Il n’y a rien de si clair que le badinage, rien de si leste et de si gai que le libertinage d’esprit. Le badinage du comte de Grammont et d’Hamilton est moins clair et moins élégant cependant que celui de Voltaire; mais il est plus exquis, plus agréable, plus parfait. Molière est moins plaisant que lui, mais il est autrement comique. Voltaire a la grâce du singe, Rivarolle a celle du chat. Ce Rivarolle est plus moëlleux, il égratigne moins, il est plus profond dans sa ruse, son jeu cause un plaisir plus doux. Il y a toujours dans Voltaire au bout d’une habile main un laid visage. (Ex abrupto.)

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: 1812

p. 5088

April 23.

Nothing is so clear as banter, nothing so nimble and so merry as libertinage of mind. The banter of the Comte de Grammont and Hamilton is less clear and less elegant, however, than Voltaire’s; but it is more exquisite, more agreeable, more perfect. Molière is less amusing than he, but comic in quite another way. Voltaire has the grace of the monkey, Rivarolle that of the cat. This Rivarolle is softer, he scratches less, his cunning is deeper, his play gives a gentler pleasure. There is always in Voltaire, at the end of a skillful hand, an ugly face. (Ex abrupto.)

T92.The comparative chains, repeated clear, and monkey/cat images remain. Libertinage is retained for the freedom or license of mind described here, without narrowing it to sexual conduct. The pronoun after Molière remains tied to the immediate comparison. The hand and face stay strange. Ex abrupto. is retained in italics within roman parentheses, literally abruptly or without preparation. Both printed Rivarolle spellings remain in the English rather than being silently normalized; softer renders moëlleux in the feline comparison. In quite another way takes autrement as a difference of manner; this comparative context also permits the intensive reading far more comic. The later 1835 dictionary illustrates an intensive use with tout, which is absent here, and does not uniquely settle Joubert’s meaning.

T431.Both occurrences read Rivarolle, with double l and final e; Grammont has double m. Moëlleux has two compressed upper components over e and is retained with that diaeresis qualification. No familiar-name or spelling normalization is made. The changing comparative degrees, lui, the monkey/cat images and final hand/face contrast remain. Ex abrupto. alone is italic inside the parenthesis; the final period precedes the closing parenthesis.

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.