Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 3406 of 4529
YEAR 1814 · Entry 7187
French
p. 6811Mme de Staël. Mystique — intimos animi recessus. Tout ce qui les peint a quelque chose de mystique. Mais le mysticisme non religieux déplait. Pour se rendre intelligible, il a besoin de recourir à l’autre, comme par exemple : « Ce qu’on scait bien donne un repos à l’esprit qui ressemble à la satisfaction de la conscience... » (Vid. passim.) Oui, pour celui qui se fait une religion de son scavoir... Quelle comparaison? Celui qui a la satisfaction de la conscience sent qu’il vaut mieux aux yeux de Dieu, mais celui qui a le « scavoir bien ce qu’on scait » ne vaut mieux qu’aux yeux de soi-même. Cette mysticité non religieuse a toujours quelque chose d’erroné. Hors de la religion, il ne faut rien exprimer de trop intime, à moins que cela ne tienne au fonds du cœur plus qu’à celui de l’esprit et encore ne scais-je. (D’erroné, de faux et de désagréable.)
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1814
p. 6812Mme de Staël. Mystical — the inmost recesses of the mind. Everything that depicts them has something mystical about it. But nonreligious mysticism displeases. To make itself intelligible, it needs to turn to the other kind, as, for example: “What one knows well gives the mind a rest that resembles the satisfaction of conscience...” (See passim.) Yes, for someone who makes a religion of his knowledge... What a comparison? Someone who has the satisfaction of conscience feels that he is worth more in God’s eyes, but someone who has “knowing well what one knows” is worth more only in his own eyes. This nonreligious mystical quality always has something erroneous about it. Outside religion, one must express nothing too intimate, unless it has more to do with the depths of the heart than with those of the mind, and even then I do not know. (Erroneous, false and disagreeable.)
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1814 · Entry 7187
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.