8 November 1888

London

It is not true that books are lacking in the Philippines — But the majority of them are of a religious and narcotizing nature — The works of Cantú, Laurent, Dumas, Sué, Victor Hugo, Escrich, and Schiller are read — The Indio in general is fond of reading and studying — Even families with Php 600 income sent their children to Manila to study — And despite the fact that the fate of educated men is to have enemies and to be shot — Rizal’s mother said to her husband: “Don’t send him [Rizal] any more to Manila; he already knows enough; if he gets to know more, they are going to behead him.”

* * *

37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill, N.W.

London, 08 November 1888

My dear Friend,

The kind words in your letter have given me great consolation that I shall never forget. I see that, in spite of all my enemies, you still remain my friend. It is a piece of good luck that many cannot boast of. I should like you also to have friends as loyal and worthy as you are.

It is not true what a Spaniards writes about the lack of books in the Philippines. In proof of this there are the rich booksellers, like Agencia Editorial whose owner became so rich in three years that his bookstore looks like that of Bailly Bailliere. But the majority of the books for sale are religious and narcotizing in character. Many people have small libraries, big ones being rare, because books are very costly. The works of Cantú, Laurent, Dumas, Sué, Victor Hugo, Escrich, and Schiller are read. In my town of only 5 to 6,000 inhabitants there are some six small private libraries. Ours is the largest, consisting of more than one thousand volumes; the smallest may have twenty or thirty. The Indio in general is very fond of reading and studying. It is a proven fact that even families with less than Php 600 income send their children to Manila to study, and though they know that the fate of educated Filipinos is to have enemies and even to die shot on Bagumbayan Field. I still remember, and never shall I forget it, that when I was 16 years old my mother said to my father: “Don’t send him anymore to Manila; he knows enough; if he gets to know more they are going to behead him.” My father kept silent, but my brother accompanied me to Manila, despite my mother’s tears. My mother is not a woman of ordinary culture. She knows literature and speaks Spanish better than I do. She even corrected my poems and gave me wise advice when I studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read many books. Her father, who was Philippine representative to the Cortes, had been her teacher. Her brother was educated in Europe and spoke German, English, Spanish, and French. He was also knight of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. And in spite of all that my clairvoyant mother did not want that I should study more! The Spaniards know us only superficially and often judge us according to the standard that their servants furnish them and the lowest class that they have seen.

I have good news of Weyler. They say that he visits daily educational centers.

I read Martin Rada.[1] I should like to believe that he cherished good intentions, but perhaps on account of religion, he did not want the Spaniards to abandon the Philippines and so he described the natives differently from the other writers, as if they were worse than wild animals. He says that almost all mothers kill their children before birth when they already have more than one or two, with the exception of those who want to have children. And the unfortunate young women who beget children follow the same procedure. He contradicts Colin when, speaking of the ill-treatment of children, he says: “. . . and with the pretext of punishing them, because they were mischievous, with a stick in the hand — a thing they never knew how to do . . . .” It seems to me that Martin Rada must be read with a grain of salt because I believe he exaggerates.

I have good news for you: An old priest whom I know personally, doctor of theology and philosophy, who occupies a high post in the Manila Cathedral, has defended me against Fr. Rodríguez, declaring that the Noli me tángere is very Christian. He is a very old man and highly respected by the Archbishop of Manila. Keep the secret then: he is Fr. Vicente García. I read an extract of the letter that will be printed. Naturally he is an Indio! Ask the Jesuits about him, but do not mention anything about the letter. He translated into Tagalog Kempis’ Imitation of Christ. Is this not good news? This almost made me cry for joy!

I hope to be able to settle my debt to Dr. Czepelack next month. I already have the thing ready, but . . . .

“But the blessing comes from above” says Schiller.

You cannot guess it.

Let us wait then for the blessing to come.

Greetings from your

Rizal

03-346 [Reformists]