20 January 1890

Rue de Maubeuge, Paris

To visit the libraries of Holland in search of books on the Philippines of the XVII century – La Precia Censura, Blumentritt’s article in La Solidaridad, praised by all – How a foreigner can love the Filipinos! – Both Filipinos and Spaniards believe Rizal is the real author og Blumentritt’s articles — “You have not written a novel,” says Fr. Faura, “you have described the sad conditions of the country.” – Prometheus tried to rock by Jupiter in order to hand over to mortals the divine spark – God should not be used as a shield for abuses – “Why should I not combat this religion with all my strength when it is the primary cause of our sufferings and tears?”

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45 Rue de Maubeuge, Paris

20 January 1890

Jose Rizal

Dear Friend and Brother,

Day before yesterday, I arrived from London and I received all your post cards, the vocabulary, etc. I am grateful to you for everything. I have already read the dictionary and I find it excellent.

I am leaving Paris but I do not know where I am going; maybe to Holland to visit the libraries there. There must be books in the Philippines of the XVII century there.

I am very sorry for the great misfortune that has befallen our friend Dr. Czepelack. I believe that for such cases words are impotent and it is much better to weep with him than to try to comfort him for such misfortunes, especially in the case of Dr. Czepelack who is sick and alone. It is a heavy blow. May God give him courage and hope!

Your articles in La Solidaridad are becoming better and better. I was immensely pleased with the one that appeared on 31 December.[1] I have not yet read the last one for I have not yet received my La Solidaridad; but Luna and Pardo de Tavera have assured me that it is as good as the others.

Many Filipinos do not yet believe in your existence. They take me for the author of your articles and the funny thing is that some Spaniards believe that you are only lending me your name! The poor men, the ignorant ones! The poor Filipinos are so accustomed to be maltreated that they cannot understand how a foreigner can love them and sacrifice for them. They cannot understand that a European can do a thing differently from a Spaniard, and so they believe also that I make use of the frauds of the Spanish friars, that is, that I sign my articles with a borrowed name. But the teachers of the Filipinos, that is, the Spaniards, believe that it is impossible to think and act in a different way from them. I do not know then why these Spaniards, like Barrantes, do not write you to dispel their doubts.

Influenza is still wreaking havoc here, but I have not caught it either here or in London – only a few minutes of headache but without fever or any malaise. I thank God for my illness would give my enemies an occasion to say jubilantly that it is God’s punishment because I am this and that. Of course I laugh at them because it is blasphemy. They say that Fr. Faura said to Pardo de Tavera when he told him that I was slightly ill: “it cannot be otherwise; a man like him has to die!” Yes, I have to die, and Fr. Faura also. But it is not good for a Jesuit like Fr. Faura to say such nonsense. Well, when I was in Manila and had a one and a half hour conversation with him, he talked in a different manner and said that the sad thing about my book was that I had written in it the truth, the bitter truth. He said to me: “You have not written a novel, the book has nothing of the novel in it; you have described the sad conditions of our time.” And now he believes that his God will punish me to death because I wrote the truth! It was Jupiter who ordered that Prometheus be tied to a rock, because the latter had handed over to mortals the divine spark, but the God of the Jesuits must govern differently from Jupiter. Pardo de Tavera replied that it was true that, in desiring to give a blow to the friars, I had hurled the stone with such force that it jumped over the friars hitting religion. I added that the example was not so accurate. I wished to hit the friars for they utilize religion not only as a shield but also as a weapon, a protection, castle, fortress, an armor, etc., I was forced t attack their false and superstitious religion. To fight the enemy that hid behind it! If the Trojans had placed a grand Pallas Athena over their fortress and from there had fought against the Greeks with their arrows and their arms, I believe that the Greeks would have also attacked Pallas Athena. God ought not to be utilized as a shield and protector of abuses, nor should religion be used for such purpose. If the friars really had more respect for their religion, they would not use so often its sacred name and would not expose it to the most dangerous situations. What is happening in the Philippines is horrible. They abuse the name of religion for a few pesos. They hawk religion to enrich their treasuries. Religion to seduce the innocent woman! Religion to get rid of the enemy! Religion to perturb the peace of marriage and the family, if not to dishonor the wife! Why should I not combat this religion with all my strength when it is the primary cause of all our sufferings and tears? The responsibility falls on those who abuse the name of religion! Christ did the same to the religion of his county, of the Pharisees who had abused so much!

I end here; I embrace you, kiss the children, and greet on my behalf your good wife.

Yours,

Rizal

02-491 [Blumentritt V.2]