30 January 1892

Leitmeritz, Austria

“You have gathered around you all those you love.” – A lesson for Rizal’s Augustinian visitor who may not have understood it – The friars keep the people stupid and in so doing they themselves become stupid – He counsels Rizal not to meddle in revolutionary agitations – “One who initiates a revolution ought at least to have the probability of success, if he does not wish to burden his conscience with useless bloodshed” – Wise theories of Blumentritt on the success of revolutions – Lessons of history – Propaganda of liberty and education among the masses.

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Leitmeritz, Austria

30 January 1892

Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt

My Brother,

It is a pleasant letter that I received today from you. You have gathered around you all those you love. Affectionate greetings to all from us! Ah, how nice it would be if we could at last receive the photos of your parents and brothers. I’m eager to know if you resemble your father more than your mother. I’m also very curious about Paciano. Embrace them for us.

The story of the Augustinian father is good. I have told it to Dr. Czepelack who laughed much and shouted: “Bravo, Rizal!” The lesson was good, but I doubt if the Augustinian had understood it, because the friars of today are very imbecile. They try to make all people stupid and to keep them stupid and in so doing they themselves become stupid. The friar who called on you wanted evidently to spy on you, nothing more.

Above all, I beg you not to meddle in revolutionary agitations. Because one who initiates a revolution ought at least to have the probability of success, if he does not wish to burden his conscience with useless bloodshed.

It has always happened that when a people has risen against another that governs it – a colony against the metropolis – their revolution never has triumphed by their own forces. The American Union became free because France, Spain, and Holland aided her. The Spanish republics won their liberty because there was civil war in the metropolis and because North America furnished them with money and arms. The Greeks became free because England, France, and Russia supported them. The Rumanians, Serbs, and Bulgars have become free with the help of Russia; Italy with that of France and Prussia, Belgium with that of England and France.

Everywhere the people who relied on their own strength have succumbed to the army of the legitimate power: The Italians in 1830, 1848, and 1849; the Poles in 1831, 1845, and 1863, the Hungarians in 1848 and 1849, the Irish in 1868.

If today a revolution should break out in the Philippines it would end in tragedy, for her insular position indeed will make any revolution without a navy a failure. Moreover, the revolutionists will not have munitions to last for more than 5 weeks. Then there are still many pro-friars among the Filipinos to certain death and intensify the oppression of tyranny. A revolution has no probability of success unless: 1st, a part of the army and navy rebel; 2nd, the metropolis is at war with another nation; 3rd, there are money and munitions available; and 4th, some foreign country gives its official but secret support to the revolution. None of these conditions exists in the Philippines.

What I would like to see is the printing of little pamphlets in Philippine languages with the object of inculcating in the masses human dignity and imbuing them with enthusiasm for their own people, for liberty, and for education. The illiterate ought to be attracted to the holy cause, to be convinced that they form part of a noble people and they need not pay homage to the Kastilas. The words of Schiller should be converted into reality:

Alle Menshen, gleichgeboren

Sind ein edelig Geschlecht.[1]

Again I embrace all your beloved and also Mr. Basa, who resembles very much my uncle Anton Blumentritt.

All of us greet you affectionately.

I embrace you.

Yours,

F. Blumentritt

02-698 [Blumentritt V.2]