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 7893

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Facing Pages · Branch 4112 of 4529

YEAR 1818 · Entry 7893

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8223

7 octobre.

Le je ne scais quoi ou le charme. Et du je ne scais quoi (dans les discours, dans les pensées et dans le style, etc.). Il se rapporte au merveilleux. Il consiste à cacher l’art et la main, et dans une certaine indécision de la symétrie et des formes qu’on sent sans les apercevoir. C’est une espèce d’agrément où la nature et le hasard semblent avoir plus de part que la volonté. Tout ce qui est trop prononcé perd par cela même le je ne sais quoi.

Le trop correct, opposé au je ne scais quoi. Et par conséquent la grammaire ennemie de la rhétorique.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1818

p. 8224

October 7.

The I know not what, or charm. And of the I know not what (in discourse, in thoughts and in style, etc.). It belongs to the marvelous. It consists in hiding art and the hand, and in a certain indefiniteness of symmetry and forms that one feels without perceiving them. It is a kind of attractiveness in which nature and chance seem to have a greater part than the will. Everything too pronounced loses the I know not what by that very fact.

The too correct, opposed to the I know not what. And consequently grammar the enemy of rhetoric.

T129.The repeated phrase receives the same literal English form each time, preserving its substantivized strangeness. The second dependent Of, art and hand, felt/perceived distinction, seems qualification and nature/chance/will contrast remain. Indefiniteness contextually renders indécision in symmetry and forms without reducing it to a personal failure to decide. The first two formula occurrences print scais, while the third prints sais; the English counterpart remains the same. Only the three English formula spans and the paragraph’s final period are italic; their preceding articles and the by that very fact phrase between the third formula and final period remain roman. English adds a comma before or charm without altering the French punctuation.

T368.The complete 7 octobre governs two paragraphs. Four occurrences of the formula are preserved: the third literally has sais without c, while the first, second and fourth have scais. Apercevoir has one p; the cer-/taine and pro-/noncé wraps are complete. The relative senses, semblent qualification and comparative remain. In the French source, the first two formula spans are italic without adjacent roman articles; the third formula and its period, trop correct with its comma, and the fourth formula and its period form the later marked spans. The second paragraph remains nominal, without a supplied finite verb.

T130.Both nominal fragments, repeated metalinguistic phrase and consequential And remain. No finite verb or moderating exception is supplied. Only too correct with its comma and I know not what with its terminal period carry the corresponding source italics; their preceding articles 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.