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 1818 · Entry 7845

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Facing Pages · Branch 4064 of 4529

YEAR 1818 · Entry 7845

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8127

21 avril.

Faire deux mots d’imager et imaginer. Imager, on se figure, se faire une figure; imaginer, presque imager, ou se faire une simple idée. Prendre imaginer pour un diminutif, un atténuatif d’imager. Imaginer seroit pour les choses spirituelles ou intelligibles; imager pour les corporelles ou sensibles. Ajoutez que l’imagination a le pouvoir de spiritualiser ce qui de soi est matériel, et l’imaginative a l’habitude de corporaliser ou matérialiser ce qui de soi est spirituel. Employer les deux procédés est-il utile, est-il louable? Oui, si on scait le faire bien et à propos.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1818

p. 8128

April 21.

To make two words of to image and to imagine. To image: one pictures, to make oneself a picture; to imagine: almost to image, or to form a mere idea. Take to imagine as a diminutive, a weakened form of to image. To imagine would be for spiritual or intelligible things; to image for bodily or perceptible things. Add that the imagination has the power to spiritualize what is material in itself, and the imaging faculty has the habit of giving body or materiality to what is spiritual in itself. Is it useful, is it praiseworthy to use both processes? Yes, if one knows how to do it well and aptly.

T39.The repeated English verb forms preserve the proposed distinction between imager and imaginer, and imaging faculty keeps imaginative distinct from imagination. English colons introduce the first two definitions in place of source commas. The source’s awkward on se figure/se faire sequence is preserved as one pictures/to make. Diminutive and weakened form remain two formulations, as do power/habit, the conditional would, both paired domains and two questions with their qualified Yes. Perceptible avoids the false-friend reasonable sense of sensible. Only the six marked verb occurrences carry corresponding source italics: the first two definitions, the two terms in the diminutive comparison, and the two terms in the spiritual/bodily contrast. The opening pair and almost to image remain roman.

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.