01-069 [Family]
1883.01.29 Madrid
From: José Rizal
To: Parents and Siblings
Fine weather — Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo to paint a portrait of Rizal — Death of the Circulo — Balloon Tragedy — Declines a Christmas present — Wishes for the family to grow even larger — Studying Italian — To perfect his French in Paris, English at London, German in Germany — Ignorance about the Philippines in Spain
* * *
Madrid, 29 January 1883
MY DEAR PARENTS AND BROTHERS,
I have already written four very long letters and although I’m quite tired, I have the greatest pleasure and satisfaction of writing you and I feel that my pen is lighter and my ideas are freshened and quickened.
We are going through a most delightful season: A cloudless and blue sky, almost like the Philippine sky, a bright moon, less cold, a weather so pleasant that I have gone out without an overcoat, a cuerpo, as they say here. I’m in good health, they say I’m stout, I’ve only a slight cold. I don’t know if I am growing, but my face must have changed a little.
Felix,[1] who arrived last night from Redondila (Galicia) where he painted a great deal, says that he will paint my picture and if true, I’ll send it to you. He is the same in figure, in stoutness, in everything.
Our Circulo has died! I proposed its dissolution although I was its most tenacious supporter.
Last night, or better yesterday, while the aerostatic balloon bearing Captain Mayet and a businessman or contractor was descending, its basket got caught in a chimney and Captain Mayet, in trying to save his companion, fell on the street below from the fifth floor, dying within a few hours. This Captain Mayet was a Frenchman who had already gone up numerous times for the entertainment of those who could not go to the theater. He was very winsome to the people of Madrid and a good man. He was recently married to an Italian woman. His death was keenly felt, for it was the result of his generous act. His companion escaped unhurt; he was one of the many who had gone up with the captain to enjoy the view of the earth from above.
I have found out that Tonino and Sra. Sisa are sending me ₱50 as Christmas present. I’m very grateful to them; but see how they can be returned, because such a token of affection may compel tacitly my other brothers-in-law to do the same and I don’t want such a thing ever to happen.
I hope that you enjoyed Christmas, the New Year, and the Day of the Three Kings with all your grandchildren whose number I should like to see tripled upon my return so that I can put up a school for them alone.
I’m now studying Italian and I bet that I shall speak it in two months. It is very easy. That being so, I reckon that you would permit me to go to Paris to perfect my knowledge of French, Afterwards I shall go to Rome, and I expect also to live for some time in London for English and in Germany for German. I wish to be back home after three or four years.
Here in Spain they have very false notions about the Philippines and there are many people who are so ignorant of that country that it is not strange that they should take us for Chinese, Americans, or mulattoes, and many, even of the young students, do not know whether the Philippines belongs to the English or to the Spaniards. One day [someone] asked one of our countrymen if the Philippines was very far from Manila, and the like. One told me that he had been in my country…
RIZAL
[1] Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, here not yet the renowned Filipino painter he will soon become.