London
Rizal praises highly del Pilar’s La soberania monacal en Filipinas – “Onward and write!” he says – He can now die – Plaridel can take his place – He would like to see emerge 20 or 30 young men who are two or three time more worthy than he – Grant Govantes more power over the matter of the gobernadorcillos and not Quiroga.
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37 Chalcot Crescent,
Primrose Hill N.W.
London
3 March 1889
Jose Rizal
My dear Plaridel:
I have finished reading your most interesting pamphlet,[1] written with much esprit, salt, and gay and incisive satire that surprises the reader and strikes him without giving him time to defend himself. The book is written in a concise and robust style, which characterizes and ought to characterize the Filipino style. When a Filipino wasn’t something, the first thing he demands is that it be strong. The Filipino style, therefore, ought to be strong above all else, and thus is your style. The first thing that occurred to my mind after reading it is that its author should shave off his beard[2] to show to everyone and above all the Spaniards that he is Tagalog[3] and wholly Tagalog. Someone might take him for a Spaniard on account of his beard and attribute the merit of his book to his Spanish blood. One of the satisfactions of my vanity in reading his work is to recall the author’s appreciation of my writings; this appreciation by an author like Plaridel honors me.
Onward and write! Rizal can now die; nobody will miss him; there is a Plaridel who can take his place with indisputable advantage. I say it with sincerity and without regret. I do not work for my renown but for the good of my country, and my greatest pleasure would be to see 20 or 30 young men who are two or three times more worthy than I.
I note only one defect: There is little order in the grouping of the arguments. It resembles an army of fearless soldiers and heroes all mixed up and jumbled. Your book is a handful of precious stones of diamonds and rubies. It is not a disciplined army, or an arranged show window.
With regard to the case of the gobernadorcillos[4] entrusted to Govantes, it is advisable to grant him more and better powers than Quiroga[5]; Govantes is our compatriot and will not betray us; the other one is not.
I give a copy of your work to the British Museum.
Send hundreds to the Philippines and above all to Madrid. Your work is for Spain; mine is for the Philippines.
Yours,
Rizal
04-364 [Misc.]
1889.3.3 Paris
From: Valentin Ventura
To: Jose Rizal
Hotel prices in Paris rising on account of the forthcoming Universal Exposition – Offers Rizal a room in his house.
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Paris, 3 March 1889
DEAR FRIEND,
Immediately after receiving your letter I started looking about for a room according to your specifications. I have been to three hotels and a furnished house. In all of them, they asked me approximately from sixty-five to seventy francs a month for this month and to the next, but beginning May until the end of the Exposition,[6] which will be in November, the same room for which you will now pay sixty-five will then cost fifteen francs more or eighty.
Among all those I have seen, it seems to me that the one that is most suitable to you is the one where our compatriot Justo Trinidad, ex-gobernadorcillo of Sta. Ana, lives and eats. In that hotel, which is in Faubourg Poissonniere, they ask me for one room, decently furnished, … francs until May and after this month … francs.
I say that it is suitable to you because you will find there two compatriots, one who lives and eats there, Trinidad, and another who eats there only, Abarca.
If you choose this hotel and eat there, life in Paris will cost you in the most expensive season, less than forty pesos a month, according to the following budget.
Room . . . . . . . . . . 80 francs
Food . . . . . . . . . . . 100 “
Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 “
Total . . . . . . . . . . . 185 francs
I believe that you will decide to come for, as you see, your stay in Paris will not cost you more than there; on the contrary, you will save one hundred francs. If my memory does not fail me, it seems that you wrote me that it cost you sixty pesos a month to live there. It is said here that you are fleeing from a fire for fear of being burnt. You are doing very well; it is better to apply a remedy as soon as possible … to dispose of the room that will soon be vacant, because precisely a woman friend is expected from Madrid to spend a season here, abandoning that city where she had the great misfortune of losing a son of eighteen years who shot himself.
However, as you are our close friend, if you would be satisfied if we place a bed and a washstand in my office, which you have seen, we shall be very glad to have you at home.
It is up to you, as we say over there. You know that it is offered to you most sincerely and it is a Filipino who is doing it.
Whatever you may decide, write me, if possible by return mail.
With regards from Elisa and a close embrace of your friend,
V. VENTURA
04-365 [Misc.]
[1] This is La soberania monacal , published at Barcelona in 1889. It is a forceful denunciation of the domination of the friars over the Philippines. Hence, at the end of his letter Rizal says it is a work for Spain, while his Noli is for the Philippines. Rizal helped with enthusiasm in the distribution of Plaridel’s work.
[2] Plaridel wears a mustache in his well-known portraits. Rizal mentions his beard; he might have worn one at that time.
[3] In Rizal’s time, oftentimes Tagalog, was used to mean Filipino. Plaridel was of course Tagalog, being a native of Bulakan.
[4] This was offer to the gobernadorcillos of the districts of Manila who signed a petition for certain reforms. They were persecuted and one of them, Mr. Justo Trinidad, fled to Europe.
[5] Benigno Quiroga Ballesteros was the director general of civil administration in 1889. The original of this letter is in the possession of [Note: The last part of the footnote was cut]
[6] The 1889 Paris Universal Exposition, where the Eiffel Tower inaugurated. It lasted from 6 May to 31 October 1889.