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 7472

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English Page · Branch 3691 of 4529

YEAR 1815 · Entry 7472

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 7381

[…]3 mai.

Une constitution en effet ne peut être qu’une définition. Or quand on définit l’homme, par exemple, et qu’on parle de son corps et de son âme, on ne les crée pas, on ne les lui donne pas; seulement on les nombre, on les déclare. Que si cette déclaration lui donnoit quatre yeux et trois jambes, il ne les accroit pas pour cela. Il seroit possible à la vérité de faire des règlemens sur l’usage que l’homme peut faire des yeux et des jambes qu’il a, mais non pas les lui donner.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1815

p. 7382

May […]3.

A constitution can indeed be only a definition. Now when one defines man, for example, and speaks of his body and his soul, one does not create them, one does not give them to him; one only counts them, one declares them. And if this declaration gave him four eyes and three legs, he does not thereby increase them. It would indeed be possible to make regulations on the use a man can make of the eyes and legs he has, but not to give them to him.

T314.The only-definition restriction, both initial negatives, counts/declares distinction and exact four-eyes/three-legs numbers remain. The imperfect conditional hypothesis and following present does not increase retain the source’s shift. The final possibility concerns use, not creation. The May date stays in its published place among July entries, without completing its damaged day or changing the month. Only the suffix 3 is legible in that May day. Literal accroit has no certified circumflex; the source’s present tense is not silently harmonized.

T663.Only terminal 3 is certified; the damaged left stem/projections do not establish an earlier digit. Literal mai remains within the July sequence without chronological repair. The left-edge on/son/les/quatre/possible/peut/donner starts remain identifiable under their qualified abrasion, with no extra words recovered. The first restrictive ne...que, two distinct negative predicates and semicolon, only, repeated les, four/three counts, literal accroit with a dot-like i mark rather than a certified circumflex, and final negative contrast remain. The imperfect donnoit, conditional seroit and present accroit/peut remain; no tense regularization is made.

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.