Leitmeritz, Austria
Blumentritt, sick, awaits the warmth of summer – Bad weather in Leitmeritz with floods – A volume of the review Archivo with a mythological dictionary of the Philippines – Tagalog deities and beliefs compared with those of the other Malays – Rizal is free to correct his work – The Mindanao dictionary is not finished yet – 9th anniversary of Rizal’s visit to Leitmeritz.
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Leitmeritz, Austria
13 May 1896
Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt
Mr. Jose Rial
My very dear Friend,
I’m very sorry that for five months I don’t know whether you are still alive or how they are keeping you. I like to attribute your silence to the anay which also eats letters or to your numerous pursuits that prevent you from writing me. I prefer this explanation of your silence to that you are indisposed.
I was myself with cattarh during the entire month of April, but now I am recovering a little though only the warmth of summer will give me complete recovery. Now we have bad weather here – 12° Centigrade, wind and rains. There was a great flood, the beautiful island of the Hunters, or Shutzenisel, that you know, was under water and is now full of mud, so that many laborers have to work for three weeks to clean this beautiful garden.
My family are in good health and greet you with all the affection of a German-Austrian heart.
By this same mail of today I send you (registered) a volume of the review Archivo, etc. in which my Mythological Dictionary of the Philippines is reprinted. This second edition is enlarged, for in it I compare Philippine deities and beliefs with those of the other Malays. It is the first book of its kind in the Spanish language. I hope you will find it interesting reading and when you find something that needs to be corrected, I request you to write me about it.
I cannot finish my dictionary of Mindanao for lack of definite information about the limits of the new district of Lanao.
Your faithful friend embraces you,
F. Blumentritt
Today is the ninth anniversary of your visit to Leitmeritz.
05-898 [100 Letters]