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.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume IITheory of the Political World, or On the Science of Government Considered… · Entry 4548

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Theory of the Political World, or On the Science of Government Considered… · Entry 4548

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 1533

15 mars.

(Vid. Gazette de France dudit jour.) La phraze qui a donné lieu à ces observations est celle-ci : « On distingue dans le cinquième (chant de La navigation) une vision prophétique qui révèle à la France les grandes destinées du héros qui devoit la sauver, régner sur elle en ne détrônant que l’anarchie et la rendre l’arbitre de l’Europe. » Il n’a détrôné que l’anarchie est beau. Qui devoit... régner sur elle en ne détrônant que l’anarchie et la rendre l’arbitre de l’Europe : le même mot ainsi placé pêle mêle avec plusieurs autres n’a plus d’effet. C’est un trait qui n’est plus lancé. La phraze où il se trouve le gâte et il la gâte aussi, comme un entablement gâte une muraille quand il n’y a pas un fondement. Il ne faut jamais employer comme fragment ce qui par sa nature est entier; il ne faut pas faire une partie de ce qui est un tout. Enfin il faut toujours mettre en vue ce qui est façade et n’appuyer jamais ce qui se suffit. De certains mots ont besoin d’être enchâssés; d’autres ont besoin qu’on les isole. Et, à ce propos, Déplacement — et — Du déplacement des mots et des pensées.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: Theory of the Political World, or On the Science of Government Considered…

p. 1534

March 15.

(See the Gazette de France of the said day.) The sentence that gave rise to these observations is this: “One distinguishes in the fifth (canto of La navigation) a prophetic vision that reveals to France the great destinies of the hero who was to save her, reign over her by dethroning only anarchy, and make her the arbiter of Europe.” He has dethroned only anarchy is beautiful. Who was to... reign over her by dethroning only anarchy and make her the arbiter of Europe: the same saying, thus jumbled together with several others, no longer has any effect. It is a dart that is no longer launched. The sentence in which it occurs spoils it, and it spoils the sentence too, as an entablature spoils a wall when it has no foundation there. One must never use as a fragment what is whole by its nature; one must not make a part of what is a whole. Finally, one must always place in view what is a façade and never prop up what suffices for itself. Certain words need to be set in a frame; others need to be isolated. And, on this subject, Displacement — and — On the displacement of words and thoughts.

T96.The printed March 14 and March 15 entries remain in their source positions after April material. The Gazette’s of the said day refers to the March 15 heading. No chronological rearrangement or substituted date is made.

T97.Saying renders mot where Joubert repeats a whole striking expression. The hero and France remain the referents supplied by the quotation, without a new identification. The dart, entablature, wall, façade, and setting of words retain the separate images. One must not prop up what suffices for itself preserves the final paradox. The alternative phrases beginning Displacement remain part of the paragraph.

T294.The printed March date is retained between April dates. The two italic rephrasings are distinct from the preceding roman quotation. De certains is retained as the historical indefinite construction, not marked as defective.

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.