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 1819 · Entry 8029

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French Page · Branch 4248 of 4529

YEAR 1819 · Entry 8029

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8495

[…] mars.

Au XV^ᵉ siècle, la soif des biens des infidelles et un zèle féroce pour la pureté de la foi. Mais les crimes de ce temps sont au moins excusés par des passions vives. Ceux du nôtre ont eu pour cause et pour principe de froids systèmes et l’orgueil seul.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1819

p. 8496

March […].

In the fifteenth century, thirst for the possessions of infidels and a ferocious zeal for the purity of faith. But the crimes of that time are at least excused by ardent passions. Those of ours have had cold systems and pride alone as their cause and principle.

T56.The opening nominal fragment and source’s historical judgment remain, with at least, both cause and principle and alone. The incomplete March day is not reconstructed from the surrounding chronology; infidels translates the source’s religious designation. French prints the century as small-cap XV with a raised e; English fifteenth century expands the notation idiomatically. Literal infidelles has doubled l, and have had preserves compound ont eu. No complete day digit is certified.

T162.The first day retains only a narrow rightward/descending remnant with incomplete upper contour in color/native 425; a possible 7 is not certified and no preceding digit is inferred. The century is printed as small-cap XV followed by a smaller raised e, transcribed XVᵉ without expanding it in French. The opening nominal fragment, infidelles with double l, at-least qualification, compound ont eu and repeated pour remain. Foreground la/sés/principe retain identifiable contours despite left show-through; excu-/sés is a complete wrap.

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.