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 IIUNDATED · Entry 8299

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English Page · Branch 4518 of 4529

UNDATED · Entry 8299

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 9035

59 (Liasse 26.)

Euler. « Il est à présumer aussi que ces termes de repos et de mouvement ont été introduits dans la langue (ou le langage) plutôt pour marquer l’apparence que la vérité ». Ainsi de toutes les dénominations.

Vide page 235 qu’en métaphysique il n’y a (ou l’on ne suppose y avoir) qu’un monde. (Tome I in-8° Paris 1787.) Et en morale etc.

Il ne faut pas, ocmme il dit page 288, « porter ses vues au delà ». L’imagination n’apperçoit plus nos devoirs si elle se transporte si loin. Elle extravague. Etc..

Cette physique aujourd’hui a une telle étendue et occupe une telle place dans l’esprit qui veut l’étudier qu’elle en remplit toutes les capacités et en absorbe toutes les pensées.

Etat de songes où nous serons après la mort.

Religions. Ont multiplié à nos yeux les motifs de bien faire.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: UNDATED

p. 9036

59 (Bundle 26.)

Euler. “It is also to be presumed that these terms rest and motion were introduced into language (or speech) to mark appearance rather than truth.” So with all names.

See page 235: in metaphysics there is (or is supposed to be) only one world. (Volume I, octavo, Paris, 1787.) And in morals etc.

One must not, as he says on page 288, “carry one’s views beyond.” The imagination no longer perceives our duties if it transports itself so far. It goes astray. Etc..

This physics today has such an extent and occupies such a place in the mind that wishes to study it that it fills all its capacities and absorbs all its thoughts.

State of dreams in which we shall be after death.

Religions. Have multiplied in our eyes the motives for doing good.

S3.Source editor’s annotationEtc. Notes on Euler: astronomy is the principal subject.

T90.The attributed quotation, presumption, also, rest/motion and appearance/truth distinction remain. Language (or speech) provisionally distinguishes langue (ou le langage) without imposing a modern technical opposition. The concluding elliptical sentence remains incomplete in form. English moves the quoted terminal period inside the closing mark. Euler, the quotation and the remaining main prose are all roman; the final source call precedes the period after dénominations.

T98.The source editor’s description remains apparatus; no particular work is identified beyond the printed attribution. English capitalizes Notes after Etc. where French prints lowercase notes. Astronomy is the principal subject rephrases il s’agit principalement d’astronomie. The complete annotation is roman.

T238.In the French source, printed item 59 owns six separate roman paragraphs, with calls 3–7. Euler and Vide remain roman, as does the bibliographical parenthesis: I is a baseline Roman numeral and the small round sign following in-8 is raised. The 1787 year is bibliographical, not a main date. The first quoted period lies outside the closing guillemet. Paragraph 3 literally prints ocmme, n’apperçoit and unhyphenated au delà; the transposed spelling is not normalized. The period after Etc. precedes raised call 4, and another baseline period follows the call. The stored Etc.. preserves both baseline marks with call metadata anchoring between them. Paragraph 4 has ordinary étendue without a diaeresis; plain initial Etat in paragraph 5 and abrupt Religions. Ont in paragraph 6 remain. No missing subject or doctrine is supplied; each latter call follows its complete word before the terminal period.

T91.Roman Vide is translated See. The colon is an English syntactic adjustment to the elliptical See...that construction; English also supplies the bibliographical commas. The page and 1787 edition information remain in the body and do not supply an entry date or an unverified internal link. The source I is a baseline Roman numeral; the small raised circle in in-8° belongs to the book-format designation rendered octavo. The complete parenthesis and body are roman.

S4.Source editor’s annotationEtc.

T92.The prohibition, beyond, no longer and repeated pronoun remain. Goes astray renders extravague spatially in context while retaining the implication of wandering thought. English as interprets literal transposed ocmme contextually as comme; this is not a reproduction-loss restoration or an alteration of the French. French retains n’apperçoit and unhyphenated au delà. English moves the quoted terminal period inside its closing mark. Final Etc.. preserves two separate printed baseline points: the abbreviation point before source call 4 and the sentence-final point after it. They are not an ellipsis. The entire paragraph is roman.

T99.The source note consists only of Etc.; no omitted material is invented.

S5.Source editor’s annotationSame.

T93.The demonstrative, today, repeated such, wish, all/all and fill/absorb images remain. No modern subject boundary is substituted for physique. French has ordinary étendue without a diaeresis. The complete paragraph is roman, and its source call precedes the terminal period.

T100.Same. renders the complete italic Id., including its period, without expanding its uncertain referential scope. It remains a separate source-apparatus paragraph.

S6.Source editor’s annotationSame.

T94.The nominal fragment and future shall be remain. No matrix verb or doctrinal explanation is supplied. French retains plain initial Etat. The body is roman, and source call 6 precedes its terminal period.

T101.Same. renders the complete italic Id., including its period, without expanding its uncertain referential scope. It remains a separate source-apparatus paragraph.

S7.Source editor’s annotationSame.

T95.The abrupt full stop, omitted subject in the second sentence, completed action, plural motives and in our eyes remain; no connective is supplied.

T102.Same. renders the complete italic Id., including its period, without expanding its uncertain referential scope. It remains a separate source-apparatus paragraph.

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.