Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
A fraternal gift of the Filipinos to Blumentritt: A draft on a London bank and a gold pen – An article by Rizal for Globus and another on the civilization of the Filipinos at the time of the conquest – Vivisection of Esbozos y Pinceladas of Quioquiap – Universal suffrage is dangerous in a country where the masses are uneducated – Around the Christmas tree.
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Leitmeritz, Bohemia, Austria
22 December 1890
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt
My Brother,
Only today I’m able to write you because I have had much work to do, so much that hardly have I had time for the Philippines nor have I even opened La Lectura Popular and the Recista Catolica; the only Philippine periodicals that I now receive, whereas formerly I used to open the periodicals, or rather the packages, with impatience.
I received a letter from Isabel de los Reyes, enclosing a draft in a London Bank. It’s the price of the copies of my photograph which were made in Manila and sold and bought by Filipino friends. I’ve accepted the money and I’m pleased, but I’m very much afraid that Isabelo de los Reyes, for being so little prudent, may expose himself to great danger for his propaganda in my favor. They have also sent a gold pen for me in the same ship, but I’ve not received it yet.
Have you already sent an article for the Globus to Dr. R. Andree? You could write an article on the civilization of the Malayan Filipinos at the coming of the Spaniards and correct in it the mistaken opinions of I. de los Reyes.
I’m going to spend the vacation period from 24 December to 2 January in the vivisection of Esbozos y Pinceladas of our old enemy Quioquiap. What’s that Malayan-Filipinophobe doing in Madrid? Nothing is heard about him. It seems he is resting on his laurels.
If you wish to please me, send me clippings of Epoca when it speaks about the Philippines. Retana will regale us there with his silliness, like an old coquette who displays her withered breasts to men.
The elections in Spain turned out badly for the liberal party. I already feared it. Universal suffrage is dangerous in a country where the masses are little educated, as in Spain. There are very few countries (for example… and Switzerland) where the masses are politically mature for the exercise of universal suffrage.
One of the assistant physicians of Dr. Koch of Berlin is a Japanese, Dr. Kitasato, author of a much-admired report on diphtheria. According to Quioquiap, the Japanese also belong to the inferior races!
I wish you and all my Filipino friends a Merry Christmas. When we are gathered around the Christmas tree we shall also think of our Rizal.
With affectionate greeting to you and yours.
Your brother,
Blumentritt
03-593 [Reformists]