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 IIAccording to Plato · Entry 6637

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French Page · Branch 2856 of 4529

According to Plato · Entry 6637

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5711

[…]8 mai.

I. En ce cas là, il faut des loix somptuaires dans une république […]our maintenir l’égalité, et il en faut dans une monarchie pour main[…]enir les dictinctions ou, ce qui est la même chose, l’égalité entre […]ous les citoyens d’une même classe et les distinctions entre les clas[…]es différentes.

II. Tout dans les loix somptuaires doit tendre en toutes choses à […]nspirer à l’âme des grands la grandeur, et la modestie aux petits. […]l faut donc prescrire le faste aux grands et interdire le luxe à tous.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: According to Plato

p. 5712

May […]8.

I. In that case, sumptuary laws are needed in a republic [to] maintain equality, and they are needed in a monarchy to [maintain] distinctions or, what is the same thing, equality among [all] the citizens of the same class and distinctions among the different [classes].

II. Everything in sumptuary laws must in all things tend to [inspire] greatness in the soul of the great, and modesty in the small. [One] must therefore prescribe pomp to the great and forbid luxury to everyone.

T137.The Roman label, repeated necessity and equality/distinctions relation remain. [To], [maintain], [all] and [classes] contextually render pour, maintenir, tous and classes from […]our, main[…]enir, […]ous and clas[…]es. The first distinctions interprets qualified literal dictinctions without rewriting the French; the later distinctions is clear. The damaged May date remains out of sequence without inferring its leading digit.

T138.The Roman label, everything/all, great/greatness and small contrast remain. Prescribe is positive, distinct from forbid. Pomp preserves the display in faste while luxury renders luxe; the complete period dictionary evidence is in the bounded primary preflight. [Inspire] and [One] render contextual inspirer and Il from […]nspirer and […]l. The singular soul retains âme; English the great remains plural in reference.

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.