Madrid
Madrid, 28 June 1884
MY DEAR PARENTS AND BROTHERS,
After so long a time that I haven’t been able to write you a letter on account of my numerous tasks, I now write you with eagerness to give you news about me to which I suppose you’ll not be at all indifferent. It is a little less than two months that I haven’t written you and this time has seemed to me very long, so much so that many times I have asked myself if I was not failing in my duty by not writing you in order not to set aside my studies. Moreover, I don’t believe it will ever occur to you to think that my affection has cooled. I have sufficient reasons and moreover, as I’m alone, I have no one to write for me while I study. Now that I’m more free, I reiterate that I have great satisfaction in taking up the pen. I don’t know if my sentiments find an echo in other parts. At last I’m a physician. Two or three friends embraced me effusively with genuine brotherly joy. One friend wrote me also wishing me with all his heart good luck in the practice of my profession. [I] distributed three duros — which I borrowed from one of these friends — among the beadles of San Carlos who congratulated all students. This was all the celebration of the greatest event in my student life and to think that that was for me the eventful month. I shall enumerate them in order:
On 5th June I took the examination in medical clinic, 2nd course Bueno (Good):
On the 6th clinical surgery, 2nd course Notable (Good);
On the 9th I filed my application for the degree;
On the 11th I took my examination in Greek, 1st course, Sobresaliente (Excellent);
On the 13th, Greek and Latin literature, Sobresaliente (Excellent);
On the 17th, my mail not having arrived and having to pay my graduation fees, I pawned my ring;
On the 19th (my birthday) I was notified of the graduation exercises;
On the 20th first exercises;
On the 21st the second and last exercises for graduation, Aprobado (Passed);
On the 25th I won the first prize in Greek at the University, one of the 4 out of 200 students, and at night I delivered a speech about which I shall tell you later;
On the 26th examination in world history, 2nd course, Sobresaliente (Excellent); total: 3 sobresalientes, one prize, one Notable, one Bueno, and one Aprobado for the degree. I hope I shall not be accused of wasting time and I shall deserve the appreciation of some persons just as I have won the esteem of foreigners.
As I told you, since the month of February, I have joined a review course, paying 6 pesos monthly in order to be up to date on the most modern ideas in medicine, which are German, inasmuch as the theories I studied at Manila, though good indeed, were all of the French school, and here almost all the professors belong to the modern school. June came and I took an examination in the subjects of my course in order to graduate as soon as possible and rest during the summer, as I do believe I’m entitled to a little rest. At San Carlos I as well as those who knew we were very much disappointed, for, to tell the truth, I expected better grades. I had the bad luck of having on the examining board Mr. Tomás Santero, who subscribed to very old Hippocratic doctrines and he failed the poor candidate even if he obtained a grade of excellent in the examination in modern theories. Here is the reason why I obtained only Aprobado, which is the second grade. This is not to excuse myself; On the other hand, at the Universidad Central they gave me Sobresaliente in history, 2nd course, which I believe I don’t deserve. The professor[1] had heard me deliver a speech at the banquet[2] and he was so glad that he toasted calling the Filipinos “the glory of the universities” and he urged me to take the examination the following day. I told him that I was not prepared, and I was postponing it for September, to which he replied that he would fail me if took it in September. I took the examination and luckily it fell to my lot to speak on the legend of Charlemagne and I acquitted myself well.
They talked about giving Luna and Hidalgo a banquet for their triumph over all the Spanish painters and they would like…
[The rest of the letter is missing]
01-104 [Family]
[1] He is Miguel Morayta , professor of history, liberal, and friend of the Filipinos,
[2] At the banquet in honor of the Filipino painters Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo held on 25 June 1884, Rizal delivered a brilliant speech though he had little time to prepare for it, being in the midst of his final examinations. He received repeated and prolonged applause. On that same day he received the first prize in Greek, a high academic distinction but he was then penniless and did not eat the whole day. Read Reminiscenses and Travels of Jose Rizal, Rizal Centennial Edition, 1961, p. 94