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 1816 · Entry 7600

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French Page · Branch 3819 of 4529

YEAR 1816 · Entry 7600

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 7637

23 mars.

Voltaire est plein d’ornemens qui, s’ils ne sont pas de mauvais goût, sont de mauvais exemple. « Qui habitent et ravagent ce globe. » Et ce globe au lieu du mot propre.

Défauts brillans et délicats.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1816

p. 7638

March 23.

Voltaire is full of ornaments that, if they are not in bad taste, set a bad example. “Who inhabit and ravage this globe.” And this globe in place of the proper word.

Brilliant and delicate faults.

T52.The conditional concession keeps the distinction between bad taste and bad example. The quoted relative clause remains without a supplied antecedent and is freshly rendered from the French, not authenticated from Voltaire. Only the later this globe corresponds to the italic phrase; the quoted occurrence is roman. The final And clause remains a fragment.

T233.Complete day 23 owns two paragraphs. The first has its full conditional negative, quoted relative fragment with period inside the guillemets and following nominal Et phrase. Only the second ce globe, outside the quotation, is italic; both adjacent Et and au lieu du mot propre are roman. Ornemens and brillans remain literal. The second paragraph is the short nominal pairing and is not appended to the first or supplied a verb.

T53.Both qualities retain their paradoxical attachment to faults. This remains a separate nominal paragraph in the same source unit.

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.