5 March 1887

Berlin

In Rizal’s notebook Clinica is found this draft of a letter in French, following a French composition entitled Essai sur Pierre Cornielle, dated Berlin, 5 March 1887. It has no addressee. Here he explains the nature and character of his novel Noli me Tangere.

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Berlin, 5 March 1887

My dear Friend,

In your last letter you complain about my silence. You are right; oblivion is the death of friendship. Only I must add that oblivion does not exist for true friendship and I shall give you a proof at once.

For a long time you have wished to read a novel by me. You said to me that it was necessary to do something serious and not to write any more articles that live and die with the page of a newspaper. Very well, to your wishes, to your three letters, I reply with my novel – Noli me tangere – of which I send you a copy by post.

Noli me tangere, words taken from the Gospel of St. Luke,[1] means “touch me not.” The book contains, then, things that nobody in our country has spoken of until present. They are so delicate that they cannot be touched by anyone. With reference to myself, I have attempted to do what nobody had wished to do. I have replied to the calumnies that for so many centuries have been heaped on us and our country. I have described the social condition, the life there, our beliefs, our hopes, our desires, our complaints, our sorrows. I have unmasked the hypocrisy that under the cloak of religion has impoverished and brutalized us. I have distinguished the true religion from the false, from the superstitious, from that which capitalizes the holy word in order to extract money, in order to make us believe in absurdities of which Catholicism would blush if it would know them. I have lifted the curtain in order to show what is behind the deceitful and glittering words of our government. I have told our compatriots our defects, our vices, our culpable and cowardly complacency with the miseries over there.[2] Whenever I have found virtue I have proclaimed it and rendered homage to it; and I have laughed, because no one would want to cry with me over the misery of our native land, and laughter is always good to conceal our sorrows. The incidents I relate are all true and they happened; I can give proofs of them. My book may have—and it has—defects from the artistic or aesthetic point of view. I don’t deny it; but what cannot be questioned is the impartiality of my narration.

Here is my reply to your three letters. I hope you will be satisfied and you will not blame me any more for my silence. I would have a great pleasure to know that you find it to your taste. I don’t believe that I have fallen in disgrace. You have always encouraged me with your approval and advice. Stimulate further your friend who respects your opinions and your criticisms.

I await your letters. As soon as you have read my book, I hope you will give me your sever judgment. I don’t feign a studied modesty, but I believe and I assure you that I shall follow your opinion blindly.

A thousand regards to my friends. Come if you can so that we can travel together.

03-200 [Reformists]