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 1815 · Entry 7275

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English Page · Branch 3494 of 4529

YEAR 1815 · Entry 7275

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 6987

7 février.

C’est toujours ce qui termine ou limite une chose qui en fait le caractère, la précision, la netteté, la perfection. C’est là ce qui l’isole, ce qui l’enserre, ce qui la sépare du reste, ce qui l’enferme à soi et ce qui la ramène à soi. C’est par cela qu’elle subsiste, qu’elle est distincte, qu’elle est connuë; et c’est par cela seul qu’elle est absolument complette.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1815

p. 6988

February 7.

It is always what ends or limits a thing that gives it its character, its precision, its clearness, its perfection. That is what isolates it, what encloses it, what separates it from the rest, what shuts it up within itself and what brings it back to itself. Through this it subsists, is distinct, is known; and through this alone it is absolutely complete.

T73.Always, both opening verbs, all four qualities and all five delimiting relations remain. Subsists preserves the philosophical force of subsiste. The repeated self-reference, three consequent predicates, alone and absolutely remain without defining the thing externally. Known and complete give ordinary English counterparts to literal connuë and complette; the French retains its diaeresis and doubled t.

T461.The complete date 7 février, toujours, termine/limite alternative and four qualities remain. All five ce qui relations retain their pronouns and the literal l’enferme à soi; neither occurrence of à soi is regularized. Connuë has two distinct upper e components in the original-size color crop, with soft contours qualified. Complette retains doubled t and plain e. The three qu’elle formulations, semicolon, seul and absolument remain. The carac-/tère and dis-/tincte wraps are complete.

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.