Letters Exchanged Between José Rizal and Other Reformers - 1894

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328. Valentin Ventura, Par 6 April 1894

Bill of landing of a parcel sent to Rizal by the firm Gendre of Paris via the Messageries Maritimes.

18       Rue Baudin, Paris, 6 April 1894

Mr. José Rizal

Dear Friend,

       Enclosed is a bill of landing of a parcel that the firm A. Lucas Gendre of this city is sending you through the Messageries Maritimes consigned to the agent of that firm at Manial.

       The said parcel contains the articles listed in the invoice that I have also the pleasure to send you.  According to the letter of Messrs. A. Lucas Gendre and Company, you have authorized them to collect from me the cost of the invoice.

       I paid for your account 98.75 francs.

       I will appreciate it if you would write me acknowledging receipt of this as well as of the parcel and tell me if I have done right in paying for the invoice.

Yours affectionately,

V. Ventura

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329. Juan Luna, Manila 17 November 1894

Acquitted, Luna returns to his homeland – painted in Bilbao pictures ordered by Spanish personages – Wondering about the world he has become a bit of a philosopher at Manila – Called on Rizal’s family – Vicissitudes and misfortunes – Rizal is enough of a philosopher to understand what destiny is.

12 Alix, Manila

17 November 1894

Mr. José Rizal

Dear Friend,

       I take this opportunity to relate to you something about my life.  As you already know, after my acquittal, (1) I went immediately to Spain.  At Madrid I was very well received by my old friends and I made other friends who were moved by feelings of sympathy towards me on account of my misfortunes.  From Madrid I went to Bilbao where I undertook numerous works, some of which were important, for Senator Chavarri, Martínez de las Rivas, and others.  There also I left very good friends, among them those you already know, the Benlliure brothers.

       I embarked at Barcelona, and it is now five months since I have returned to my homeland, after so many years of absence – 18 years.  When I see my mother and my brothers and this scenery and these streets and those houses and this people, believe me that I become a bit of a philosopher and I venture to make comparisons between this life ad our life in Europe and those times of the Boulevard Arago, of Madrid, of Toledo, etc. . . . . .

       I have met your whole family at Manila including your old father, who is in good faith.  Naturally we talked about you and your vicissitudes and misfortunes.  I have not worried about your banishment, because know that you have more than enough philosophy to understand what destiny is and in your banishment you will find the same satisfactions and the same pains as in any populous city.  Here you have me who has gone through so many sufferings, who has had so many ambitions, of which were fulfilled more than I wished.  Well then, I am happy, for time erases the bad and of the good something always remains; but of the bad events memory displeases us while the good continues to please us, at least like the memory of a charming melody when we use to hum it alone.  In short, lad, one has to make things as they come.

       Andrés is now a little man of 7 years and this country suits him very well.  Antonio lives with us also and my mother is our landlady.  What a great pity that this happiness would not last longer, for eventually I shall have to go back there, perhaps within a year and a half.

       I shall be glad if we meet some day, and as you know I am always ready to serve you in what I can.  I shall be grateful to you if you will write me.

       Your old comrade and friend,

J. Luna

Regards from Antonio

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       (1) Accused of killing his wife and mother-in-law, he was acquitted by the court.  

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330.  Rizal, Dapitan, 18 December 1894 || To José Basa

The sending of his medical books – And his English and German dictionaries – His transfer to Ilocos or La Unión – These are difficulties in granting him his freedom – Dapitan is very poor, very poor – Lack of medicine and instruments – Very regrettable conditions that he is unable to remedy.

Dapitan, 18 December 1894

Mr. José Basa

My very esteemed friend Don Pepe,

       If this letter reaches your hand on time, receive my Christmas greetings and my wishes for a Happy New Year!  Let us see if we shall have a more propitious year than ’94.

       Now that you have offered to send me the books that I asked you, I would be glad if you would put in a box with a tin lining all my medical books which you will easily find.  The most important that at any cost I would not want to be forgotten are the works of Claude Bernard, Wecker, Trousseau, Eichhorn, Bernard and Huette, Nelaton, Mata, and others.  In addition, please send my big English dictionary by Webster and, should there be more space, my German dictionary.  I would request you to have all these ready there, for as I am on the eve of setting I do not know where, I should like for the present to have the most necessary books.  His Excellency passed through here and he had the kindness to promise to take me to a better province, Ilocos or La Unión.  I would have liked to be granted my freedom, but in view of certain difficulties, it is not possible to do so for the present.

       I have heard that Rafaela has a small tumor on the neck.  Do not worry about it, for when it attains a good size we are going to remove it.  Here I perform numerous operations of these diseases and until now they have all turned out well.

       I have learned that the house on Remedios Terrace which was about to be sold, has already been sold and it was not very dear.  If things had not altered, we would have brought it.

       My mother and my two sisters, María and Trinidad, in addition to three nephews, are living with me here.  We are in good health and if any one is ill, there is me as I am not well on account of so much heat.

       For the moment do not send my books to Manila for I will see if there is a chance to bring over my entire library along with my bookcases.

       I am engaged in the abaca business and we have had a good season, but now, on account of the fall in price, we are going through a crisis.

       The town of Dapitan is very good.  I am in good terms with everyone.  I live peacefully, but the town is very poor, very poor.  Life in it is not unpleasant to me because it is isolated and lonesome; but I am very sorry to see so many twisted things and not to be able to remedy them, for there is no money or means to buy instruments and medicine.  Here a man fell from a coconut tree and perhaps I could have saved him if I had instruments and chloroform on hand.  I perform operations with the little that I have.  I treat lameness and hernias with reeds and canes.  I do the funniest cures with the means available.  I cannot order anything, for the patients cannot pay; at times I even give medicine gratis. 

       With many regards of my mother and sisters to all of you – we always talk about you – and wishing you good health and luck in your business, I send you a good embrace.

       Yours affectionately who kisses your hand,

José Rizal.

P.S.

       My little pistol has not arrived here.  Could you not ask for it from the one who took care of it, or give me his address so that I may ask him for it?

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331. Julio Llrente (No date.  1894?)

Llorente sends Rizal a card introducing Mr. Bracken from Hong Kong.

(No date, 1894?)

Mr. José Rizal

Dear Friend Rizal,

       I recommend to you my friend Bracken (1) so that you may treat his eyes.

Your friend,

Julio Llorente

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       (1) His name was Taufer.  Accompanied by Miss Josephine L. Bracken, he arrived at Manila on September 1893 and reached Dapitan on March, 1894.