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.

Explore the Lexicon

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume IIYEAR 1814 · Entry 7184

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

English Page · Branch 3403 of 4529

YEAR 1814 · Entry 7184

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 6805

[…]1 décembre.

Dans le style (ou la parole écrite) (et dans toutes sortes de styles) […]e substantif est de nature et de nécessité, l’épithète est de réflexion […]t d’ornement. Il y a dans l’emploi du seul substantif quelque chose […]e sobre et de suffisant; et dans l’usage fréquent des épithètes, de la […]ompe, de l’ambition, du superflu. Point de simplicité (et par conséquent point de vérité simple et nuë), même de celle qui est ornée, si les épithètes ne sont rares et clair-semées. Les habitués à l’épithète et qui en font abus n’ont rien vu et ne montrent rien qui ne soit vêtu. On ne trouve chez eux que de l’éclat, mais aucune nature dans sa propre sincérité. Ils teignent tout de la couleur ou des couleurs de la figure ou des figures qui sont naturelles à leur esprit seul. Proprio fucata succo depromunt.

Il y a des styles où l’épithète est cachée dans le substantif métaphorique. Quesnel abbonde en expressions et peut-être en défauts de ce genre.

Dans le luxe de nos écrits et de notre vie, ayons du moins l’amour et le regret de cette simplicité que nous n’avons plus et que peut-être nous ne pouvons plus avoir. En buvant dans notre or, regrettons les coupes antiques. Enfin, pour n’être pas corrompus en tout, estimons et chérissons ce qui vaut mieux que nous même. Sauvons du naufrage, en périssant, nos goûts et notre jugement.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1814

p. 6806

December […]1.

In style (or written speech) (and in every sort of style), [the] noun belongs to nature and necessity; the epithet to reflection [and] ornament. There is something sober and sufficient in using the noun alone, and in the frequent use of epithets, [pomp], ambition, the superfluous. No simplicity (and consequently no simple, naked truth), even adorned, unless epithets are rare and scattered. Those accustomed to epithets and who abuse them have seen nothing and show nothing that is not clothed. One finds in them only brilliance, but no nature in its own sincerity. They dye everything in the color or colors of the figure or figures natural to their minds alone. They bring forth things dyed with their own juice.

There are styles in which the epithet is hidden in the metaphorical noun. Quesnel abounds in expressions, and perhaps in faults, of this kind.

Amid the luxury of our writings and our life, let us at least love and long for that simplicity we no longer have and perhaps can no longer have. While drinking from our gold, let us long for the ancient cups. Finally, so as not to be corrupted in everything, let us esteem and cherish what is worth more than ourselves. As we perish, let us save our tastes and our judgment from the shipwreck.

T92.The two opening parentheses, opposed noun/epithet relations and complete lists remain. Epithet preserves the technical attributed modifier, without limiting it to an insult. [The], [and] and [pomp] contextually render […]e, […]t and […]ompe. The damaged […]e before sobre has no separate English counterpart in something sober and sufficient; no French d is restored. The nominal negative and compressed even adorned leave the attachment to simplicity or truth open. All clothing, brilliance, dye and juice images survive. The final sentence freshly renders intact Latin Proprio fucata succo depromunt.; things carries its neuter plural object. The complete Latin sentence and complete English counterpart are italic through their periods. No external locus was verified in the bounded search. The paragraph crosses 805–806 without a break; the entry’s date preserves only […]1.

T214.Only the final 1 in the date is certifiable; the earlier curved/foot remnants do not establish a complete 2. Three physical paragraphs remain in this unit: the first crosses 805/806 and ends after the Latin sentence, followed by two separate paragraphs before 806’s first star. The bottom printing signature on 805 is excluded from the prose. The first paragraph keeps both opening parentheses, all noun/epithet relations, restrictive seul, two alternatives couleur/couleurs and figure/figures, and its exact negative/restrictive sequence. On 805 only e, t, e and ompe are complete at the four marked margin losses; the missing l/e/d/p forms are not supplied from grammar. The consé-/quent wrap itself is intact and does not mark a new loss. The continuation on 806 has nuë with two distinct raised e-components and literal hyphenated clair-semées. Its right-edge si, épithète, vêtu., sa, la and Proprio retain identifiable foreground endings in the color view, without extrapolating extra words beyond the margin. The Latin Proprio fucata succo depromunt. is italic throughout, including its terminal period; no other part of this unit is italic or converted into a quotation. Paragraph 2 literally reads Quesnel abbonde with two b letters and retains peut-être; the ordinary méta-/phorique wrap remains joined. Paragraph 3 preserves du moins, both ne...plus forms, peut-être, the negative en tout qualification, the antique-cup image, literal nous même without a hyphen or plural s, and the final shipwreck/remaining-taste judgment. None of these distinctions is normalized into a smoother doctrine. The completed bounded independent comparison agrees with the date limits, new 805 losses and incoming 806 Latin/diacritic readings, with their stated contour qualifications retained.

T93.The hidden modifier and metaphorical noun remain distinct. Perhaps qualifies faults, not the abundance of expressions; no particular Quesnel work is assigned. French abbonde is retained with its literal double b; ordinary English abounds does not emend the source.

T94.The repeated loss of simplicity, perhaps, at least, both exhortations to longing, comparative worth and the final simultaneous perishing/saving remain. Gold keeps the vessel metonymy rather than silently naming a particular cup material for the ancient cups. The shipwreck remains literal imagery; the speaker is not rescued from it by the English. French nous même is retained without an added hyphen or plural s; English ourselves carries the reflexive relation.

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.