25 August 1888

Barcelona

25 August 1888

Mr. Jose Rizal

My very dear Friend,

By this mail I am sending you a registered package of three copies of Noli me tangere, as you ask me in your letter of the 18th instant. I am sending you besides the last part of Fr. Font’s analytical criticism. All of us who have read his attacks—as they can well be called thus rather than criticism—understood that this blessed father tocaba el violon,[1] pardon me for the phrase. They tell me that only a few copies of this censorship have been printed to avoid its popularization, which indicates that the very censor himself knows that he is lying. With what surprise he will read Plaridel’s articles entitled Noli me tangere before Monastic Hatred in the Philippines.

I continue sending copies of the Noli to the Philippines through every possible means. By so doing, I am only filling the orders that I receive.

Many friends ask me to send you their greetings.

My family, who [are] also sending you greetings, wished to have a picture of you, and so I wish to request you to comply with this desire when you have your picture taken.

My family and I have already adopted the new Tagalog orthography and we write each other in it. My friends are also adopting it.

The Filipino colony here is increasing. After Galicano Apacible[2] came Santiago Ycasiano of Bulacan and Eusebio Panlilio and Feliciano Gonzales of Pampanga, and many military men with their families. Fortunately here we have unity and the proof of it was our get-together in honor of our fellow countrywomen at the Exposition held two weeks ago and attended by all the Filipinos. Our object was to show to our Barcelona friends and to the Spaniards in general that Filipino women know also how to behave in society and are as educated as Spanish women, though those women were only cigarette makers. Some newspapermen attended it.

Tonight we are going to foregather at the house of F. Canon on San Gervasio. The Filipino women will attend also.

All our countrymen send you affectionate regards and especially Canon. And your countrymen and true friend embraces you,

M. Ponce

P.S.

Do you know Pedro Ramos? Is he there?

I am sending you a clipping of a letter I wrote in the light of news that they sent me from Manila and which I published in La Publicidad some months ago. I continue publishing such letters as I receive news from Manila. I cannot send you the latest ones for I did not save them; they are very badly written.

02-326 [Blumentritt V.1]