7 December 1888

London

7 December 1888

Jose Rizal

[Mr. Mariano Ponce]

My dear Friend Naning,

Enclosed I am sending you that letter for Laktaw for not knowing how I should sent it to him. If I put on the envelope Pedro Serrano, the trick will be discovered; if I put L’Aktaw, it will not reach him.

What you could do is to tell him: “There I send you a copy of a letter that I have received from Laong Laan for L’Aktaw. As there is something about you in it, I send it to you. Besides, the prudent opinion of Laong Laan on Rizal may be of use to you. Find out there who is L’Aktaw.”

You could say this or something else.

Excuse me now for I am very busy; I am working.[1]

Yours,

Rizal

You may read the letter.

03-356 [Reformists]

(No date)

From: Jose Rizal

To: Eduardo de Lete

Fragment of a letter – “Despite everything that has happened, I remain the same.”

* * *

(No Date)

Jose Rizal

……………………………………………..

…according to what they say is P50.

This season of the year remind me of other seasons – those when I was there. I remember that after the first speech that you delivered on 31 December, I was the first one to greet you and I congratulated you warmly, and you then told me that my compliments were the most precious to you because they were the most sincere. Now, despite everything that has happened, I remain the same. If some day you publish something, you will receive the same sincere congratulations from me, because I do not take revenge and because I want to fulfill my duties as a friend, as a man, as a comrade, and as a compatriot. And because I am not revengeful, I did not wish to support the candidacy of Llorente against yours, nor accept my candidacy the moment I found out that it would hurt you.

I conclude this letter wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Yours,

Rizal

02-357 [Blumentritt V.1]