Paris
From: Jose Rizal
To: Dr. A.B. Meyer
What is the meaning of VPOS? – Works of Chamiso – Rizal busy with his second novel – Studying all the books about colonies – Blumentritt’s great disappointment.
* * *
45 Rue de Maubeugue, Paris
Paris, 1 December 1889
MY DISTINGUISHED FRIEND,
Today I wish to answer your two kind letters of 31 October and 29 November, for I am now in a position to do so, first because I have now the Chamisso that I had brought from London and second because my Morga is now finished. When its printing is finished, I shall have the honor of dedicating to you a copy. Do you think German libraries will buy copies of Morga?
I have found in Morga the word VPOS when he spoke of the arrival of the Mandarins at Manila in the year 1603. In the chapter VII describing the debarkation of the Mandarins he says:
“Seated in chairs carried on the shoulders of men – quaint chairs of ivory and fine wood and gilded – they went straight to the royal houses of the Audiencia where the governor was waiting for them, accompanied by many captains and soldiers through the houses and street which they entered. Having arrived at the royal houses they came down from the chairs and entered on foot, leaving their flags, VPOS, spears, and other insignias, with much flourish, on the street . . . . .”
In Tagalog the word VPO [upo] means a cucurbitaceous vegetable, and upô meaning to sit down. These two meanings cannot be those of Morga’s VPOS.
Of the works of Chamsso or Chamisso had, my friend Pardo de Tavera and I would like the following
Chamisso’s Books
Fr. Juan de Noceda and Fr. Pedro de San Lucar, S.J., Vocabulario de la lengua tagala. Imprenta de la Compania de Jesus, Manila. 1754. Folio.
Fr. Augusto de la Magdalena, Arte de la lengua tagala. 1669-80.
Fr. Sebastian de Totanes. Arte de lengua tagala y manual Tagalog. Imprenta de Ntra. Sra. De Loreto, Sampaloc, extramuros de la ciudad de Manila, 1445 – 40.
Fr. Tomas Ortiz, Arte reglas de la lengua tagla. Imprenta de D. Fr. Sanchez, Maxico, 1742. 40.
Fr. Mateo Sanchez, S.J., Vocabulariode lengua bisaya. Colegio del Sagrado Corzon de Jesus, Manila, 1711. Folio.
Fr. Lopez, Arte de lengua iloca. Manila, 1617.
Alonso de Mentrida, Vocabulario de la lengua bisaya y vocabulario espanol-bisaya de lengua sugbuana. MS. (Original in German script.)
Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga, Historia de las Islas Filipinas. Sampaloc, 1803. I vol. 40.
Pedro Andres de Castro y Amordo, Carta edificante y viaje a la provincial de Taal y Balayan. 1790. 4 MS. (Original in German script.)
I am now correcting the second part of Noli me tangere. I am studying all the books about colonies that have been published in order to keep me informed of colonization. Please tell me if you know of books worthy to be recommended.
Our friend Blumentritt is suffering a great disappointment with the Spaniards. He believes that one can talk about reason, reasoning, and truth with certain persons. We prefer to omit the rest of the paragraph which is not prudent to publish.
With best wishes to you and your wife, I am always at your command as servant and friend.
J. RIZAL
03-472 [Reformists]