London
3 December 1888
Jose Rizal
My dear Friend,
You may wonder why I have put off for some time answering your affectionate letter, previous to this one that I have just received. But the week before last, I have been very sick and in a devilish humor.
I thank you for having sent me the newspapers as well as the booklets. We have again discovered a new “eel of Gil!” Praised and blessed be the purest etc. etc.!
As you see, following your good inspiration, I treat you with tú.
I am very busy with the publication of a work.[1]
There appeared in the Cologne Gazette of 10 November, morning edition, a long letter from Manila about the condition of the Philippines, of my brothers-in-law, and of my work, in that order in the article, not of modesty. This letter was reprinted in the Gazette of North Germany, Bismarck’s organ, on the 27th in the evening and it was communicated here by telegraph that same night by the correspondent of the Standard. I have seen to it that they send you a translation of the article, but if you do not receive it, tell your friends, the newspapermen, that there is something about the Philippines in those German newspapers, the foremost in the Empire.
I am going to write to Laktaw.
Give my regards to Canon and other friends.
I suppose that you already know the outrage on Friend Anacleto del Rosario. The salary of director of the laboratory which was P3,000 (through competition) was reduced to P300 by Weyler.[2] Regidor told me about it.
When is our newspaper there coming out?
I have written twice to the Minister. In the second letter I called him ill-bred.
Is Morayta a deputy?
If he is, see if he will interpellate the government on the abuses that are committed in Manila.
Could the newspapers there publish an article of mine?
Yours,
Rizal
02-354 [Blumentritt V.1]
[1] Rizal was annotating Morga’s Los Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas .
[2] That is, when it was known that a Filipino had won in the competitive examination to fil l the position, the salary for i t was reduced.