London
Larra, the best Spanish prose writer of the century – All the works of great men are worthy of study – Rizal prefers the complete, not selected, works of Larra – In Madrid, where Rizal had many friends, his work could not even get in – Condemnation of his work at Manila – Need for unity among the Filipinos.
* * *
37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill, N.W., London
16 June 1888
Mr. Mariano Ponce
My dear Friend,
With an interval of a few hours, I received your affectionate letter together with that of Rogers and the essays of Larra. I thank you infinitely for both things as well as for your kindness. Though I like the book you have sent me and it pleases me much, because they are the best articles of the best Spanish prose writer of this century, however, as I always prefer the complete works of great authors to the selected ones, I would request you to send me the complete works of Larra published by Biblioteca Universal, such as Mundo Fisico, Obras del Duque de Rivas, etc. Nevertheless, I will be glad to keep this in order to compare it with other editions. My reason in preferring the complete works to the selected ones, is that I believe that all the writings of great men are worthy of study, and it is very difficult to say positively which ones are better or which are worse.
Regarding my money [?] let it remain there in trust and I’ll ask for it when the younger brother[1] is ready to come out, using the funds of the older one.
Why, having the ability to use the pen, the only weapon left to us, you do not use it for the moral amelioration?
In searching now for friendly ears in Europe, I turn my eyes more to Barcelona than anywhere else. In Madrid, where I had so many friends among our countrymen, my work not only did not find support, but was not even permitted to enter, due to the neglect and the strange conduct of others, according to a friend, my only remaining there, it seems. I don’t mind it personally; I’m sorry for what it signifies; I’m sorry because I see fading out even our last virtue, which is our unconditional unity when it concerns the welfare of our country. If we lose that, what will become of us but the miserable in everything, what virtues have we learned, we who come to Europe, and what superiority would we have to our other blind brothers?
In Manila, illustrious countrymen have tried to blacken my work, and I smiled to myself; now that the Filipino colony of Madrid, the most patriotic, the most advanced, behaves that way towards me, I am very sorry, because this is an implied condemnation of my work by my countrymen, if not something worse, which would be moral degeneration. Between the two, I would rather be sacrificed.
I repeat what I have said: I believed that we should be united, you from Barcelona, the industrial capital of Spain, and we, the few that still survive abroad. Now my cousin Galicano[2] has arrived there and he is promising and can do much, if he does not lose his head.
I am working here, devoting my time to the study of English, of the country, of the history of our country, and to writing some impressions of everything.
Convey my regards to the whole Filipino colony there and hoping that nothing, no mishap would discourage us in our studies, I am here at your disposal.
Yours affectionately,
Jose Rizal
01-301 [Family]
[1] The “younger brother” was El Filibusterismo ; from the sale of Noli me tangere he hoped to defray the cost of printing of his second novel; but he was disappointed.
[2] Galicano Apacible, who became a physician and figured prominently in Philippine politics in the early part of the 20 th century.