9 January 1885

Manila

Rivalry over Rizal continues — President of the Section of Literature and Languages at Universidad Central de Madrid — News about girls — Rizal’s graduation — Gracio Gonzaga admires Rizal’s homage to Luna and Hidalgo published in Los Dos Mundos — Regrets that Rizal will not study law.

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9 January 1885

MR. JOSE RIZAL Y MERCADO

MY DISTINGUISHED NAMESAKE, OLD COMRADE AND FRIEND,

I received your letter of 18 November last, but before answering it, I am going to offer you my new house, number 91, Malinta Street (formerly called Condesa) in the district of Binondo. We left Trinidad Street because we could no longer stand the heat of the small furnace where we lived.

Now that I live near the house of the winsome as well as unaffected O., I visit her more frequently, having been at her house already twice since 10 November when we moved to this street and both times we talked your literary personality and nothing less than in front of the dear P., of dwarfish love, who asked me if O. is really engaged to you to which I replied no. This girl does not like that lad, but she almost accepted him. As her mother was warned, she remonstrated with her immediately because he was a relative, it seems to me. The first time I visited her she had fever and nevertheless we talked for many hours. She asked me what it was you told me in your letters and I answered her that you continue loving her. She requested me at the same time to call on her whenever I can. She said that she was not your beloved but the one in Manila[1] whom one day she asked if they were really rivals and she answered in the negative, as she afterwards recounted to me. To this I said that you told me when you were still here that you would prefer her to her, that she could not accept you for the reason that you were jilted by one from Lipa, that if you were only a left-over, it not be so I replied that laying aside whether you were jilted or not, if I were a woman, I would not mind a jilted man like you. She said that a provincial student told her that if she loved you, she would be pitiful because when you come, you would marry the little landlady.[2] She did not tell me his name and she requested me not to tell you about it, because you are an alipato[3] and you would look for him when you return. But this is not credible because she knew he wanted to make love to her and had begun to remove everything that might be in his way. Who could this illustrious fellow be who has no love for you?

Tincho, Rosauro, and I had the greatest pleasure in knowing that you were nominated for the presidency of the Section of Literature and Languages of the Ateneo de Filosofia y Letras of that university. Receive then our most enthusiastic congratulations. You will soon be a polyglot, if you are not yet so, and we give you our congratulations in advance.

Our friend Gracio Gonzaga, residing in Cagayan, to whom I sent a copy of Los Dos Mundos[4] that was not addressed to any one, requests me to give you his most sincere thanks as well as admiration and respect — admiration for the most beautiful style and depth of your toast.

Our friend Mariano Lopez requested me to tell you that you did not remember him any more in the distribution of copies of your speech and he asked me for my copy to take along with him to Balayan.

Our friend Rosario now has a little boy, though not named Nicolas, like the one in the play.

I observed that for the word harmony you smashed Miciano.[5] Poor friend, he wanted to fight one who is always called upon to preside literary schools! This man continues with his M… turned into caramel.

I am sorry that our friend Ceferino would return here without knowing how to write. Will he graduate as doctor? I do not know if you study law but it seems that you do not intend to study it, inasmuch as you tell Teong that you are coming next December. All those who esteem you think otherwise.

This time your Comadre Miguela will write you as well as Teong.

T. does not give me trouble but something to think about, as we have not seen each other for a long time because she lives in the house of Mrs. R.R. on San Vicente Street, Binondo. I believe that the day will come when this young woman would marry anyone else except me, inasmuch as I have just begun but I have not finished, nor do I intend to finish this affair with her nor do I know with whom I can finish it.

Zamora requests me to tell you that he has received the books and music to which you refer in your letter and he thanks you for them.[6]

M. is now engaged in giving dances in her house, that is, paid for by others, and according to information, many attend them.

According to what they say, M., at her own accord, broke her engagement to S. for having received information that he has already many children by different mothers in Camarines. S. of Balayan, brother of M., seems to me engaged to O., and T. continues with M. C., who will need 12 years to finish his professional course, inasmuch as he does it in duplicates, that is, one copy and one original every course.

Our friend Arcadio is less obstinate than before. Is he again engaged in discussing whether the sea was salty since the beginning or not as much as now?

During the supper of the 31st of last month we remembered you and the little landlady was seated beside Lasam whom she reminded of times past.

It is not that the little landlady is vexed when we talk about her but that she respects so much her love for you. Not so O. who only asks me what you write me, to whom I reply, that in all your letters there is always a paragraph devoted to her. She is convinced that you like her.

I almost lost my father for so many diseases attacked all at once his poor body; anthrax, lesion in the heart, inflammation, and I don’t know what else. But thanks to God and to physician Zamora, he is now almost a convalescent.

Compliments of Capitan Jose Valenzuela who is stout and gay. Who would be sad in his place?

Through a telegram from London dated 29 of last month it was learned here that there was an earthquake in Malaga and other places in Andalucia and because of this news those who have families in that province are trembling with fear, because it is said that 1,000 persons died and the earthquake continues.

Your Compadre Rosauro is now first class aspirant with a salary of 800 pesos, like the one who has the honor to sign this eternal chronicle.

Today ends the novena at Quiapo, though this year the fiesta is not very animated, perhaps because we are going through a financial crisis on account of the severe competition between sugar beet and our own sugar.

Mariquita Lecaros must be from this country. Though I don’t know her, give her my congratulation on her wedding.

When you come, a specialist in what will you announce yourself? That is now the fashion. When will you graduate as doctor of medicine? When will you become licentiate in philosophy and letters?

I wish you Happy New Year and I will try to induce our good friends, who are certainly scarce, to go there.

Has your brother written you? He was here in Manila about a month ago and he looked for me on Trinidad Street, according to Ubaldo’s sister, but we did not see each other. I am sorry I did not have a little talk with him.

You know you are esteemed by your very affectionate Co-Babylonian,

JOSE M. CECILIO

04-116 [Misc.]