London
30 September 1888
My dear Friend,
I have to thank you very much for your letter as well as for the books, newspapers, and other things that you have sent me.
The article which you published in La Publicidad in which you devote affectionate words to me has been for me another powerful inducement to work more for the welfare of our country—that country which, had she been free or were she in normal conditions, would bring forth many noble, generous, and disinterested sons, but now in her present condition, her sons have to watch out and disguise themselves.
I have finished a work and I am only negotiating with a capitalist for its publication.[1]
Plaridel’s work has given me great joy. Now I can say parodying Jacob, “Now I can die contented.” I am sure that the work that I have dreamed of will be completed. Why should we have not have a hundred Plaridels?
I have received the three copies of the Noli. Pease send me another by mail. If it is possible, I would appreciate it if you would send to Hong Kong, to Jose Maria Basa, all the copies that you can send. He will take care of selling them there and even introduce them into Manila. If I have enough money there to defray the cost of sending by boat all the remaining copies in one box, I would beg you to please do so. You know that the book has been written for the Filipinos and it is necessary that the Filipinos read it. Jose Maria Basa has just asked me to send him copies.
With regard to the booklets of Fathers Rodriguez and Font, I have the great pleasure to see that even writing with the feet I can do them terrible harm; what if I should get to write with the hand…! For the rest, I believe that this friar has written his booklet with the hand, with the tongue, and with the head, but as he cannot give more, he remains there. If my enemies would only write like Fathers Rodriguez and Font, it would not matter to me, but the bad thing is that I have enemies among my countrymen, some of whom with their ambiguous phrases discredit me greatly. Have you read what the newspaper La Paz, managed by our countryman La Serna, says about me? Patience!
Many regards to Canon.
I am thinking of sending you for publication as an appendix to Plaridel’s work[2] something I wrote in the Philippines against the friar estates signed by the people of Calamba.
I continue working.
Regards to our friends.
Affectionately yours,
Rizal
03-331 [Reformists]
[1] Rizal was negotiating with Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor for the publication of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas with his annotations. He was disappointed.
[2] M. H. del Pilar, La soberania monacal . New edition published by the Philippine Historical Association in 1957 with English version by Encarnacion Alzona. Rizal’s contribution is its Appendix X, pages 174-180.