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 6514

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Facing Pages · Branch 2733 of 4529

1812 · Entry 6514

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5465

[…] décembre.

En logique, il faut donner son assentiment à ce qui est prouvé; en […]hysique, à ce qui est réel; en morale, à ce qui est honnête; en reli[…]on, à ce qui est pieux; en métaphysique, à ce qui est le plus spiri[…]el. Car en toutes choses il faut adopter ce qui mène au but et s’y […]poser. Or le but ou la fin en logique, c’est le probable ou le rai[…]nnable; en physique, c’est le matériel ou l’existant; en morale, c’est […] honnête, quid deceat, quid non; en religion, c’est la piété ou le […]espect et l’amour du ciel. Le but de la métaphysique est l’opinion […]u la connoissance des esprits ou des existences immatérielles; et […]ut ce qui en donne une vive idée en est le moyen.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: 1812

p. 5466

December […].

In logic, one must give one’s assent to what is proved; in [physics], to what is real; in morals, to what is honorable; in [religion], to what is pious; in metaphysics, to what is most [spiritual]. For in all things one must adopt what leads to the goal and [rest] in it. Now the goal or end in logic is the probable or the [reasonable]; in physics, it is the material or the existent; in morals, it is what is honorable, what is fitting, what is not; in religion, it is piety or [respect] and love for heaven. The goal of metaphysics is opinion [or] knowledge of spirits or immaterial existences; and [everything] that gives a vivid idea of them is its means.

T347.Each field and its stated goal remain, including the proved/probable distinction. Contextual [physics], [religion], [spiritual], [rest], [reasonable], [respect], [or] and [everything] render physique, religion, spirituel, reposer, raisonnable, respect, ou and tout. Rest in it keeps the attachment of y to the adopted thing or goal open. Before the second intact honnête, the lost French article has no separately bracketed English word in what is honorable. Only what is fitting, what is not is italic, translating the Latin without adding Horace’s surrounding verse. No December day is supplied.

T632.The day remnant before December does not certify a complete 0 or another digit, so the day remains wholly lost. The missing left-edge components in hysique, reli...on, spiri...el, poser, rai...nnable, before honnête, espect, u la connoissance and ut ce qui are not restored. The possible u before el and possible o before nnable / ut have too little surviving structure to certify complete glyphs. The article-sized loss before the later honnête remains distinct from the intact adjective. All semicolons and repeated fields of inquiry remain. Only quid deceat, quid non is italic.

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.