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 6488

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English Page · Branch 2707 of 4529

1812 · Entry 6488

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5413

[…]7 octobre.

Lenocinia orationis : les séductions du style (par le pathétique comme dans Mʳ de Chateaubriand). La magie du style est autre chose; elle provient d’un heureux arrangement des mots et des pen[…]ées. Il y a (du moins pour l’oreille) une certaine magie de style dans Cicéron.

Les lenocinia supposent une certaine affectation de ce que nous avons appelé la « sensibilité »; mais une affectation adroite. Les anciens Grecs n’avoient ni lenocinia ni magie, à l’exception d’Euripide peut être, mais sans sortir de la simplicité. Virgile n’en eut point, quoiqu’il ait mis tant d’art à être naturel et touchant.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: 1812

p. 5414

October […]7.

Seductions of speech: the seductions of style (through pathos, as in Mr. de Chateaubriand). The magic of style is something else; it comes from a happy arrangement of words and [thoughts]. There is (at least for the ear) a certain magic of style in Cicero.

The seductions suppose a certain affectation of what we have called “sensibility”; but a skillful affectation. The ancient Greeks had neither seductions nor magic, except perhaps Euripides, but without departing from simplicity. Virgil had none of it, although he put so much art into being natural and touching.

T309.The opening Latin phrase is translated as Seductions of speech, consistently with the earlier passage, followed by Joubert’s own gloss. Only that opening English phrase is italic; its colon stays outside. Pathos renders le pathétique as an appeal to feeling. [Thoughts] renders contextual pensées from pen[…]ées without certifying the lost s or degraded surviving accent. Magic remains distinct from seduction, with the ear qualification intact; no Ciceronian passage is identified.

T310.The repeated affectation, quoted sensibility, double exclusion and qualified exception remain. Both seductions and the second paragraph’s magic are italic, matching the source, while affectation remains roman. This intact affectation stays distinct from the earlier affective technical term. The final none of it leaves the French en relation open without inventing a single referent; the source reading Grecs remains qualified for a damaged glyph.

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.