03-035 [Reformists]
1882.08.28 Manila
From: José M. Cecilio
To: Jose Rizal
Rizal is remembered by his friends in Manila – His fiancée Leonor Rivera feels deeply his absence – His essay El amor patrio (Love of Country) appears in Diariong Tagalog – Cholera in Manila – At Madrid Rizal can cooperate with other Filipinos there working for their country’s welfare – The friars in the Philippines are despotic – Rizal should study law.
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Manila, 28 August 1882
Mr. Jose Rizal
My dear Namesake and Friend,
I received your letter of 28 June last from which I learned with genuine pleasure that you are now in Barcelona enjoying the views of that commercial city and that you are freed from the incidents that almost always occur in such a highly important voyage as you have undertaken. You did not have less of these incidents and some of which are a little extraordinary, as for example, you thought the train departed when scarcely you had begun to do what had compelled you to go down the train. At first it seemed to make one pity you, but looking at it closely, it is really laughable.
This morning the landlord[1] received your letter in which you tell him to address his reply to Madrid. In it I note that you continue to enjoy good health, which, as you know, gives me real pleasure.
In my preceding letter, written hastily, you will note that I had that blessed ophthalmia for nearly three months. Now completely well, I have no other complaint but the numerous tasks that have fallen over me.[2] It seems that I have fallen into prison working day and night with the difference that in prison there are whips and in the office none, but soon I shall finish the urgent tasks that compel me to work more hours than are required.
I delivered in due time the letter of Captain José Valenzuela.
I made two calls on the family of this gentleman in your name and I found our charming O….even more amiable than before. On my way to her house I learned from Pedro Gella that it seems that S….has asked for the hand of this young woman. This somewhat disturbed me since I knew that friend was very much after D….P….after whom before was P….In order to find out if it was true I made her this joke, which she denied categorically and I told her that if any news can sadden you in that distant land, it will be no other than for you to learn that your hopes in her have ended. To this she replied that she did not know that I have lice on my body.[3]
We played tresiete[4] (T…., O…., Galicano, and I), but afterwards O….spread out her cards and asked me to bet on one of them. Without hesitation I bet you on a horse against one five and I won. Then I told her that it was a clear proof that what I told her about her love affairs were true. I don’t know if she understood that you were the proxy of S….but I informed her that he was present and she knows too well who he is.
T…., your intimate friend, how she remembers the things that you used to do when she was single. She requests me to give you a pinch of her F…., born after your departure from this capital city. They asked me how long were you going to stay there and I answered them that at least ten years and when you returned you could make love to F….Then Orang, Candeng, Chengoy, and Titay, who were present, answered that you would kiss their hands. I rejoined that there was no other remedy, but Mariano, brother of Mentang, split the subject in the middle saying that it could not be so for the reason that you ought to have two objects. Here Troy burned. All of them, including Capitana[5] Sanday, send you their most affectionate regards and Orang wishes you to find there a good-looking girl.
Also, I visited the family of the elegant girl Margarita. Grateful, she sends you her regards. According to news, the leg of friend V….is already well and he will be at this capital city until the beginning of the coming month. M….was almost left half breathing, for figuring out if he had not been cured and his leg was amputated, if he would have any desire to come to Manila and continue this engagement to her and his studies, and above all the most serious question is: would she accept him with one leg.
There is a person[6] who has felt deeply your absence and says that had she been here when you left you would not have succeeded to get away. She deserves pity. You must have already received a letter from her by now as I write this. That she loves you there is no doubt now.
In the Diariong Tagalog of the 20 of this month is published your article El amor patrio. On this I give you my most enthusiastic congratulations. I’m only sorry that it has many typographical errors.
In this newspaper you will see that cholera has invaded Manila and its districts and causes considerable ravages. It has also invaded the greater number of the provinces in the south. The landlord will give you a detailed account of its victims. Because of this terrible guest we are few in the house, many having gone home to their respective towns.
Vicente Gella is still here. He was already to go home on account of the cholera but no boat would take him and the poor man is left with his anxiety to leave.
I’m very glad that you will go to Madrid where you can do many things in favor of this country jointly with the other Filipinos. So long as we have the pen tied to …[illegible word] or better said, so long as they do not give us freedom of the press, abuses, arbitrariness, and injustices will prevail more than in other parts of the world. It is difficult if not impossible to attain this in …[illegible] from the Europeans with vested interests, as in Cuba …[illegible] and to this is due its progress to a modern and more liberal scientific administration.
As you know there are some guys with excessive influence in this country and these are the friars who are the limit of despotism. It would be advisable for you to do something about them.
Your compadres and comadres send you regards and your godchildren fond kisses.
The Vasquez girls who inquire about you also sent you regards.
Don’t change your plan to study law because it will be very useful to you and it will give you glory in that city.
The landlord’s letter is the leading article and this is of local interest. Is this not the case?
You know that he esteems you truly and you can command your affectionate friend,
Che
[1] The landlord was Antonio Rivera, Rizal’s uncle and owner of the boarding house were Rizal had stayed. Sometimes referred to as Don Antonio.
[2] José M. Cecilio was an employee.
[3] An expression in Tagalog meaning “full of jest”.
[4] A card game.
[5] It was customary to address the wife of an official with the feminine form of the husband’s title; thus, the wife of Capitan (municipal executive) is properly addressed Capitana.
[6] Leonor Rivera, Rizal’s fiancée.