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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 1821 · Entry 8156

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Facing Pages · Branch 4375 of 4529

YEAR 1821 · Entry 8156

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8749

24 octobre (D. G.)

Au chapitre 2, après le verset « La vérité... et la vertu... » ajoutez :

La sagesse est le repos dans la lumière. Mais c’est la lumière elle-même qui, par le calme inspiré, apporté, excite quelquefois le sage à se jouër dans ses rayons.

Et, après celui-ci, le verset : « Il n’y a de beau que Dieu... »

Et après le verset : « Touchés et pressés par les corps... » et avant: « Le monde entier... » il faut ajouter ceci :

Je disois bien : « La matière est une apparence, tout est peu et rien n’est beaucoup. Car qu’est-ce que le monde entier? » J’y ai pensé. Je le crois et je le vois presque. Je me détermine et je le dirai hardiment. Car j’en ai des preuves sans nombre ([au lieu de :] je le prouverai peut-être) et Newton a pensé ainsy. Je le dis donc : Le monde entier, etc.

Après le verset de la fin : « O vérité... » il faut ajouter ces paroles : « Je vais prouver » et finir là.

Et dans le verset « Ainsi donc... » du Chapitre V, il faut le commencer ainsi : « Ainsi donc [nous] n’aimons et nous ne pouvons tous aimer, etc. »

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1821

p. 8750

October 24 (D. G.)

In chapter 2, after the verse “Truth... and virtue...” add:

Wisdom is repose in light. But it is light itself that, through the calm it inspires and brings, sometimes urges the wise man to play in its rays.

And, after this one, the verse: “There is nothing beautiful but God...”

And after the verse: “Touched and pressed by bodies...” and before: “The whole world...” this must be added:

I was right to say: “Matter is an appearance, everything is little and nothing is much. For what is the whole world?” I have thought about it. I believe it and almost see it. I make up my mind and shall say it boldly. For I have proofs of it without number ([instead of:] perhaps I shall prove it) and Newton thought so. I say it, then: The whole world, etc.

After the verse at the end: “O truth...” these words must be added: “I am going to prove” and end there.

And in the verse “Thus then...” of Chapter V, it must begin this way: “Thus then [we] do not love and we cannot all love, etc.”

T67.Chapter and verse cues are Joubert’s manuscript instructions within the body, not instructions for this edition or certified internal links. The quoted fragments and final colon remain; verset is rendered verse in this manuscript context. The complete October 24 date governs all seven paragraphs of this owner. Its parenthetic D. G. remains an opaque circumstance on the date line, without expansion, a separate body paragraph or an additional period after the closing parenthesis.

T137.The complete 24 and month are followed by opaque parenthetic D. G. on the date line, without an extra terminal period. That date governs all seven paragraphs; its code is not expanded and no date is inserted into the body. The seven indented paragraphs remain a single source-body revision instruction. Chapter 2 and Chapitre V, verset, both after/before placements and all quoted incipits remain; they are not promoted into headings, apparatus or authenticated internal links. The final Le monde entier, etc. in paragraph 5 is an unquoted reprise, unlike the earlier closed question quotation. Printed [au lieu de :] and [nous] are roman editorial supplements. All ellipses are printed, not reproduction losses. Paragraph 5’s question mark and paragraph 7’s final period are already inside their respective closing guillemets; no mark is invented at those boundaries. Literal jouër has paired e-dots visible in color/native 439; ainsy keeps y, while later ainsi retains i. The complete hardi-/ment, prou-/verai and com-/mencer wraps are joined. The fragile left starts remain identifiable in color/native; no extra losses are certified. All body text is roman.

T68.Repose, light itself, the two past-participle notions inspires/brings, sometimes, and playing in rays remain. English supplies the repeated subject it for the compact calme inspiré, apporté without choosing only one of the two actions. The English and coordinates the two source modifiers of calm; it is an explanatory grammatical link, not a recovered French word. French jouër retains its qualified paired upper e marks; no new reproduction loss is claimed.

T69.The opening And, this one, verse label, exclusive but and incomplete quotation remain. No missing continuation or verified destination is supplied.

T70.The two placements after/before, both quoted incipits, passive touched/pressed and necessity remain as source-body instructions.

T71.The first-person sequence, distinction between believing and almost seeing, both future forms shall say/shall prove and countless proofs remain. Printed [au lieu de :] becomes [instead of:] within the original parenthesis; this is a roman source-editor intervention, not a reproduction gap. The initial quoted passage ends with a complete question, whose question mark is already inside the French closing guillemet and stays there in English. The final The whole world, etc. is an unquoted abbreviated reprise, not a second quotation. Newton’s supposed view is not externally authenticated. French retains literal ainsy here, distinct from later ainsi.

T72.Both quoted fragments and the instruction to end remain in Joubert’s body. No object of prove is supplied.

T73.Printed [nous] becomes roman [we]. The incomplete first negative formulation and second cannot-all formulation remain without supplying an object; tous is not converted into all things. Chapter V remains an unverified manuscript reference within the seven-paragraph body instruction. The final period of etc. already precedes the French closing guillemet, and English retains that position rather than moving the mark.

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.