27 June 1884

Lipa

Lipa, 27 June 1884

Mr. Jose Rizal

My old Friend,

I received your elegant as well as winsome photograph. I see that you are very stout and dressed very elegantly which proves that you now pay attention to your person and in a short time you are entirely changed so that Leonor herself will not recognize you if she would see you at the present time. Your fiancé is languishing, the effect undoubtedly of what is worrying her. I believe that it is the first time that she loves. Devoted to the man of her heart, she sees that instead of the happy ending coming near, it is moving away at gigantic steps. What heart will not melt at such a prospect?

On the 23rd of this month I received your letter brought by Mr. Villa-Abrille[1] which he sent me by mail. I have had an opportunity to talk with this gentleman and he spoke very well of you as well of the rest.

Take advantage of this propitious occasion to go into other studies that you believe desirable because your whole family work for your future, specially your brother Paciano.

At this moment I have before me two invitation cards, one from your father and the other from your brother-in-law Marianito, inviting me to the fiestas of your town, which is advertised as very pompous. But I cannot please them because I have to attend a wedding of one from Manila who lives at my house and the daughter of Francisca Africa (Balong Quicay).[2] The invitation arrived late, but it was not their fault but of the post office (delights of the Philippines) because its date was the 20th. Had it not been for my previous engagement I would have gone there without an invitation.

I have informed them of how impatiently you await their letters and that you have not received any for a year now.

If you are stout, I’m much more so. My knees now do not pass through the trousers that I wore when we were on Magallanes Street and many of our companions do not recognize me at first glance. They imagine I’m a relative of that truant and naughty Mariano.

I received the newspapers El Diario and El Progreso. My nose lengthens seeing a friend, a comrade, and a compatriot step out of the ordinary sphere and hurl himself to support a difficult polemic that at the slightest slip will expose him to the criticism of the entire world; but I’m confident that with your talent and industry you will perform your task successfully. You ask me for copies of plays that have been staged here. Unfortunately it seems that God in his voyage in the world did not stop at Lipa.

El Comercio published a flattering as well as interesting announcement of P. Paterno’s speech. Long live the Philippines!

As a sample from the province, I cannot send you to A….for I’m afraid you may form a bad opinion of your province. If Macalintal were not married and with family, he may perhaps be of some promise.

I should like to you to send me the continuation of the polemic until the conclusion. Have you some speeches of Paterno that speak of the Philippines? Their perusal would be interesting to me.

At the risk of wounding your modesty, I permit myself to tell you that you are destined to soar, for which reason I pray God for your prosperity and the glory of the Philippines. Regards to all.

Your Friend who embraces you,

M. Catigbac

01-103 [Family]