Ghent
Rizal receives the passage-money from Basa – Publishes El Filibusterismo, the second part of his Noli, before leaving Europe – Three months without receiving even a cent – To print his work, Rizal pawned his jewels – Disheartened – Forsaken by those who have promised to finance the publication of his book – Sends Basa page-proofs but asks him to burn them – The friars may scent the book – He sends also books and personal effects to Hong Kong.
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32 Rue de Flandre
Ghent, 9 July 1891
MR. JOSE M. BASA
Hong Kong
MY DISTINGUISHED AND GOOD FRIEND,
I received your letter of 3rd June together with the one addressed to the director of Messageries Maritimes, and if I do not embark immediately, it is because at the moment I am printing the second part of Noli me tangere, as you can see by the enclosed pages. I have preferred to publish it in any manner before leaving Europe, because it seems to me a pity not to do it. As I have not received a cent for three months, I have pawned all I have in order to print this work and I will continue printing it as long as I can, and when I no longer have anything to pawn, then I will stop, and I will return to your side. I am tired of believing in our countrymen; they all seem to have joined together to embitter my life; they have been preventing my return, promising to send me an allowance, and after having done it one month, they have not remembered me again. Lately I received from the Propaganda at the beginning of April another letter sending me 100 pesos for the months of January and February and promising to send me regularly every month, and we are now in July and I have not received a cent again! Some rich men have been promising and offering me money for the publication of my work; now that I accept it, they do not send me even a cent. All my jewels are now pawned; I live in a small room; I eat in a very modest restaurant to economize and be able to publish my work. Shortly I will have to stop it if I do not receive any money . . . Ah! I tell you that if it were not for you, if I did not believe that there are still good Filipinos, I feel like sending to the devil, countrymen and everything! For whom have they taken me? Precisely when one needs to have his mind at peace and his imagination free, he gets deceit and meanness!
I do not know. If the funds I am expecting do not arrive by the next mail, I will give up, book and all, and I will embark to live and work for myself . . . . At times I feel like burning my manuscript, but I think of you, and I know that there are many good men, many who truly love their country.
Thanking you for your kindness for having sent me passage-money. I send you a fraternal embrace.
Yours,
RIZAL
P. S.
I have sent there my four boxes of books and other effects, freight payable on arrival. If anything should happen to me, you can sell all my books and objects and keep money from the sale as indemnity. The value of the books and other things is 600 pesos at least.
The same.
Keep my work absolutely secret; the friars may scent it . . . and prepare. Burn immediately the pages I’m sending you.
02-633 [Blumentritt V.2]