Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 927 of 4529
Mr. Hochet and Mme de Sévigné. · Entry 4708
French
p. 18537 juillet.
Donnez aux esprits froids, aux esprits lourds des doctrines subtiles et délicates, et vous verrez l’étrange abus qu’ils en feront. Jettez quelques vives lumières dans un esprit naturellement ténébreux et vous verrez à quel point il les obscurcira. De certaines idées dans de certaines têtes sont comme des chandelles allumées qui ne servent qu’à montrer l’épaisseur et l’obscurité de la lanterne qui les contient. Saint-Martin avoit la tête dans le ciel, mais dans un ciel nébuleux et noir où les éclairs qui s’en échappoient ne laissoient voir que des nuées. On fait un horrible mélange quand on fait entrer de certaines idées dans de certains cerveaux. On rend seulement leur obscurité plus palpable. On y fait succéder le cahos à la nuit.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: Mr. Hochet and Mme de Sévigné.
p. 1854July 7.
Give cold minds, heavy minds, subtle and delicate doctrines, and you will see the strange misuse they will make of them. Cast a few vivid lights into a naturally dark mind, and you will see how far it will obscure them. Certain ideas in certain heads are like lighted candles that serve only to show the thickness and darkness of the lantern that contains them. Saint-Martin had his head in the heavens, but in cloudy and black heavens where the flashes escaping from them revealed only clouds. One makes a horrible mixture when one brings certain ideas into certain brains. One only makes their darkness more palpable. One makes chaos follow night there.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · Mr. Hochet and Mme de Sévigné. · Entry 4708
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.