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 1814 · Entry 7145

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Facing Pages · Branch 3364 of 4529

YEAR 1814 · Entry 7145

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 6727

2 décembre.

Ne pourroient-ils pas dire (et ne pourroit-on pas penser) que, d[…]vènement de Jésus-Christ, Dieu a infusé dans la nature plus de […]mière et plus de grâces? Il semble en effet que depuis ce temps, […] y a eu dans le monde une connoissance plus générale de tous les […]evoirs et une facilité plus répanduë et plus commune à pratiquer […]s vraies vertus et toutes les grandes vertus.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1814

p. 6728

December 2.

Could they not say (and could one not think) that, [since the coming] of Jesus Christ, God has infused more [light] and more graces into nature? It does indeed seem that since that time [there] has been in the world a more general knowledge of all [duties], and a more widespread and more common facility in practicing [the] true virtues and all the great virtues.

T29.Both modal questions, the parenthesis, light/graces, indeed seems and all three degrees of increase remain. [Since the coming] contextually spans d[…]vènement across 800–801, without recovering depuis l’a. [Light], [duties] and [the] give […]mière, […]evoirs and […]s in whole English words. [There] broadly marks the English existential construction for the lost opener before intact y; it does not recover a French word meaning there. True virtues and all great virtues stay distinct. The whole remains one December 2 paragraph across the page turn.

T175.The complete 2 décembre date belongs to this single paragraph, which continues over the five initial lines of 801 before its first star. The main parenthesis, double question framing and comma after que remain. At the end of 800 only d is certified; the gap through the page boundary includes any additional word material before the first legible vènement on 801, without recovering depuis/l’a or another phrase. The grave contour in vènement is identifiable but narrow and qualified. At 801 the succeeding openings retain mière, a whole lost slot before y, evoirs and s. No lu, il, d or le is restored. The first m of mière and e of evoirs are abraded but recognizable at the qualified color/native reading level. The final s before vraies has enough contour to remain; earlier faint material is distinct from readable foreground. Répanduë has two separate upper e components. All prose is roman, and neither a new date nor an extra paragraph is introduced by the page break. Independent bounded comparison agrees with these incoming continuation limits and the qualified répanduë diaeresis, without recovering a missing initial.

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.