Chapter 15 rizals second sojourn in paris and the universal exposition of 1889

Paris in the spring of 1889 was bursting with gaitey and excitement because of the universal exposition

Difficulty of finding quarters

Published Morgas sucesos

Founded three Filipino Societies

Wrote Por Telefono

Diffulty of Finding Quarters

March 1889,it was extremely difficult for a visitors to find living quarters in Paris

Universal exposition of 1889 was scheduled to open on May 6, 1889

The cost of living was high because the French landlords are taking advantage for the upcoming event.

For a short time, Rizal lived in house of his friend Valentine Ventura, at No. 45 Maubeuge

He transferred his residence several times

Finally, he lived in a little room, together with Capitan Justo Trinidad ( former gobernador of sta ana manila)
jose albert ( a young student from manila) and a refuge from Spanish tyranny.

Life in Paris

He used most of his time in the reading room of the Bibliotheque Nationale (National Library ) checking up
his historical annotations on Morgas book

Writing letters to his family and friends

In the gymnasium for his daily physicalexercises

In spare hours, Rizal used to dine at the homes of the Taveras , the Venturas the Bousteads and Lunas

On June 24, 1889 a baby girl was born to Juan Luna and Paz Pardo de Taveras. She was their second child,
the first was a boy names Andres whose pet name was Luling.

Rizal was her baptismal godfather, who chose her name “ Maria de la Paz, Blanca, Laurena, Hermenegilda
juan luna y Pardo de tavera.”

Rizal and Paris exposition of 1889

The greatest attraction of his exposition was the Eiffel Tower 984 feet high, which was built by Alexander
Effel celebrated French Engineer
One of the features of the exposition was the international competition, Felix R. Hidalgo’s paintings of juan
luna and Felix Pardo de Tavera each obntained the third prize, while Rizals entry got no prize.

March 19 1889 the day rizal arrived in Paris, he organized his compatriots into a society called Kidlat Club

Among the members were Antonio and Juan Luna, Gregorio Agulera, Fernando Canon, Lauro Dimayuga, Julio
Ilorente, Guilermo Pauta, and Baldomero Roxas

It aim was to bring together the young Filipino in the French capital so that they could enjoy their sojourn in
paris

“ kidlat in tagalong means Lightning and for the same reasons this club will last only during the exposition it
will disappear also like lightning” – letter dated March 19, 1889 to Blumentrtt

Rizal was enchanted by the dignified and proud bearing of the American Indians whose red-skinned and
proudly riding their sturdy ponies, elegantly dressed in their native attire and wearing their was fathers and
paints.

Thus was born the Indios Bravos. It replaced the Kidlat Club.

It means members pledged to excel in intellectual and physical prowess. They practiced the use of the sword
and pistol. Rizal taught them judo an Asian art of self-defense that the learned in Japan.

RDML Society

Many biographers of Rizal did not mention the RDML society. Of the numerous letters written by rizal and
his fellow propagandists, only two mentioned this secret society.

. Rizals letter to jose maria, paris, September 21, 1889

.rizals letter to Marcelo h. del pilar, paris November 4, 1889.

According to Dr. Leonardo Lopez- Rizal, grand nephew of the hero, the society has a symbol or countersign
represented by a circle divided into three parts by two semi-circles having in the center the interlocked
letters Iand B meaning Indios Bravos, and the letters R.D.M.L placed outside an upper, lower, left and right
sides of the circles.

The letter R.D.M.L are believed to be the initials of the societys, secret name Redencion de los Malayos
( Redemption of the Malays )

Only a few of Rizals trusted friends became members of the society named, Gregorio Aguilera, Jose Ma.
Basa, Julio Llorente, Marcelo H. Del Pilar Mariano Ponce , Baldomero Roxas, and Father Jose Ma Changco
( Filipino Priest

The aim of the society, as the stated by Rizal was “ the propagation of all useful knowledge – scientific,
artistic , literary etc in the Philippines”
International association of Filipinologists

The aim of the association is ‘ study the philipines from scientific and historical point of view”

The officers were as follows:

PresidenT : Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt (austian)

V. President: Mr. Edmund Plauchut ( French )

Counsellor: Dr. Reinhold Rost ( Anglo – German )

Counsellor: Dr. Antonio Ma. Recidor ( Filipino-spanish)

Secretary: Dr. Jose Rizal ( Filipino)

Unfortunately, their inaugural convention did not materialize because the French government discourage
the holding of conferences by private organizations during the period of the international exposition.

Project for Filipino College in Hongkong

According to Rizal this college aims “ to train and educate men of good family and financial means in
accordance with the demands of modern times and circumstances”

Unfortunately this project did not materialize. However, years later duringhis exile in Dapitan. He actually
founded a school for boys, in which he put into practice some of his splendid pedagogical concepts.

Christmas in Paris

December 25, 2889 was wintry day in Paris. Rizal, Jose Albert, Capitan Justo Trinidad planned to have a
sumptuous Christmas Dinner. The dinner proved to be Rizals last Christmas dinner in paris.

Shortly after new year, Rizal made a brief visit to London. Biographers do not know the purpose of his visit. It
may be due to two reasons:

To check up his annoted edition of Morgas Sucesos with the original copy in the british museum

To see Gertrude Beckett for the last time

By the middle of January 1890, he was back in paris. He complained of a terrible headache. At the time an
epidemic of influenza was raging in Europe. Fortunately, he was not stricken with flu.
CHAPTER 16 BELGIAN BRUSSELS 1890

On January 28, 1890, Rizal left Paris for Brussels, capital of Belgium

Two reasons impelled Rizal, namely:

1. The cost of living in Paris was very high because of the Universal Exposition
2. The gay social life of the city hampered his literary works, especially the writing of his second novel
El Filibusterismo

Rizals friends were of to belief he left because he was running away from a girl just as he left London.

LIFE IN BRUSSELS

Rizal was accompanied by Jose Albert Brussels. They lived in a modest boarding house on 38 Rue
Philippe Champagne.

Rizal was busy writing his second novel, El filibusterismo, which was a contribution of the Noli Me
Tangere.

Aside from writing its chapter, he wrote articles for La Soladaridad and letters to his family and friends.

ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN LA SOLADARIDAD

1. “A La Defensa" (To La Defensa), April 30, 1889.

In spite of his European education and his knowledge of foreign languages, Rizal loved his own native
language.

He was the first to advocate the Filipinization of its orthography.

For instance, the Tagalog letters k and w should be used instead of the Spanish c and o. ( i.e. salacot – salakot
; arao – araw )

Adopted the Filipinized Tagalog orthography in his Tagalog translations of Schillers Willhel Tell and
Andersen’s Fairy Tales

“ Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala” ( The New Orthograhy of the tagalong language0 April 15,
1890

“ El Sanscrito en la Lengua Tagala” ( Sanskrit in the Tagalog Language) 1884.

RIZAL CRITICIZES MADRID FILIPINOS FOR GAMBLING

In Brussels, Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura that the Filipinos in Spain were
destroying the good name of their nation by gambling too much.

Accordingly, Rizal wrote to M.H del Pillar on May 28, 1890 to remind the Filipinos in Madrid that they did not
come to Europe to gamble, but to work for their Fatherland’s freedom.

BAD NEWS FROM HOME

The management of the Dominican hacienda continually raised the land rents until such time that Rizal’s
father refused to pay his rent. Other tenants, inspired by Don Francisco’s courage, also refuged to pay the
unreasonable rents.

The Dominican Order file a suit in court to disposses the Rizal family of their lands in Calamba.

PRESENTIMENT OF DEATH

In his moment of despair Rizal had bad dreams during the nights Brussels when he was restless because he
was always thingking of his unhappy family in Calamba.

This morbid presentiment of early death was divulged by him to M.H del Pilar, in a letter from Brussels dated
June 11, 1890, as follows:

PREPARATION TO GO HOME

In the face of the sufferings which afflicted his family, Rizal planned to go home. He would not stay in
Brussels writing a book while his parents, relatives, and friends in the distant Philippines were persecuted.
Upon hearing that Graciano Lopez Jaena was planning to go to Cuba, he wrote to [once on July 9, 1890,
opposing Graciano’s plan of action.

“ We have only once to die, and if we do not die well, we lose an opportunity which will not again be
presented to us”.

DECISION TO GO MADRID

Rizal’s friends were horrified by his plan to return to the Philippines. They warned him of the danger that
awaited him at home.

Rizals ignored the dire warning of his friends. No threat or danger could change his plan.

However, something happened that changed his plan:

. A letter from Pociano which is related about the lost case against the Dominicians in Manila.

. Appealed it to the Supreme Court in Spain and a lawyer was needed

. He is going to Madrid in order to supervise the handling of the case.

TO MY MUSE

In was against a background of mental anguish in Brussels, during those sad days when he was worried by
family disasters, that he wrote his pathetic poem, “ A Mi … “ ( To my Muae ). This poem lacks the
exquisiteness of “ To the Filipino Flowers of Heidelberg” and is less polished than “ To the Filipino Youth “,
but it is passionate in feeling.

ROMANCE WITH PETITE JACOBY

Two things brought measure of cheer to Rizal as he prepare for his trip to Madrid:

. The summertime in Belgium which was celebrated in carnival style.

. Romance with Petite Jacoby, niece of his landladies.

Rizal being charming and dignity gentleman causes Petite Suzanne to be attracted to him. He was lonely in a
strange country and Leonor Rivera was so far away.

Naturally, being a normal young man nfound certain bliss in the company of a pretty Belgian girl.