The Triumph of Death over Life
38 Rue Philippe de Champagne, Brussels
5 July 1890
My Brother
You must have already received what I sent you: It is a box containing two small sculptures by me. Both are original; no copies of them exist. Unfortunately the Scientia was broken when it was baked in the oven. Accept them as a little remembrance.
1 have already received your letters as well as your photograph. Many thanks. With reference to your photograph, I tell you that 'it has pleased me greatly. However, you do not look in it as you really are. At first glance, one gets the impression that you do not possess a kind heart. I believe that the spectacles ' are to blame for this. Notwithstanding, after looking at it attentively, one can recognize you.
I have been working on your picture for a long time; but I must confess with shame that I have not been successful in portraying you, I have tried everything- bust, relief, bas-relief-all in vain. I believe I should give up. Later, I shall send you the rest of the photos.
I hope we shall make a trip to Germany. Then we shall see each other.
Sagasta's ministry has fallen. What became of the good offices of Becerra? Ah! Don't leave for tomorrow what can be done today! Beautiful words, beautiful words; but words, words, words, as Shakespeare said.
Your brother,
Rizal
Blumentritt answered this letter on July 9, 1890
9 July 1890
Prof. F. Blumentritt
in
Leitmeritz, Bohemia
Austria
Dr. Jose Rizal
Brussels
My Brother:
A thousand thanks for the beautiful gift with which you surprised me today. We all like it very much, especially the group which is distinguished for its magnificent conception and excites admiration. You are indeed a man" favored by God whose brow has been kissed by the genius of the noble and sublime. I should accept it as the pauper receives alms, because I have nothing to give in return. My room is beginning to be converted into a treasury of Filipino art and I consider myself a fortunate being on whom Heaven showers, beautiful gifts though undeserving. Again, a thousand thanks. Neither Dr. Czepelack nor the painter Eysert of this city has seen them yet. I'll show it to them on the 15th, the end of the academic year.
The change of ministry in Spain has also been much commented in the Austrian press. With the exception of the clerical newspaper, Vaterland, all the German, Czech, Polish, Russian, Rumanian, Italian, Hungarian, Slovene, and Serbian newspapers of my country are opposed to C Canovas. I don't know if it is true but a newspaper which is very close to the government without being an official organ, says that the queen has decided in favor of Canovas because he had pointed to Sagasta's ministry as the protector of immorality in the administration. In my opinion, Canovas will not suppress the immorality, because immorality is an integral part of the national nobility.
The poor Filipinos will have to pay the bill.
This is enough for the present. With affectionate regards from all of us to you and yours and an embrace of
Your
Blumentritt
Ferdinand Blumentritt mentioned those two statues in several other letters to Rizal.
29 September 1890
Prof. F. Blumentritt
in
Leitmeritz, Bohemia
Austria
My Brother:
Today I have a little time to write you. I have had much to do this month, so that I had very few wasted moments. To begin with, I have not failed to devote every free moment to the Philippines: In the first place I answered Desenganos. It is true he does not deserve to be answered with the pen but with the rattan for being such an admirer of the Englishman's stick. But in Spain one cannot remain silent if he is attacked by a bandit writer; a Spaniard is impressed only by valor and might. Quiet enemies are oppressed and maltreated. It is lucky for the Philippine cause that the friars have only intriguers at their service and not men of talent. All that the friars have written until now are worthless. Their voluminous publications, instead of being useful to them, only hurt them. We should not lose courage; God helps only he who helps himself.
The last sentence in your article on Indolencia1 is magnificent and no man with sane brains can deny the sureness of your logic.
I eagerly hope that next year you will be here, as you have written, and not only you, but also Serrano and other Filipino friends.
1 La indolencia de los filipinos (The Indolence of the Filipinos), Rizal's powerful essay was published in La Solidaridad in installments.
I'm at present gathering the prospectuses of the different colleges and schools in Austria and Germany so that the Filipinos can find out from them which institutions are suitable to their aims and plans. In the meanwhile, they should study German assiduously, so that they can understand the lectures. I will also gather complete information about admission requirements and expenses.
The cost of living is always higher for students who live in private rooms and eat at the' restaurant than for those who eat at the boardinghouse. If they live as a republic, as they say in Manila, the cost is less. Like the Italians here who are not fond of the taverns, the Filipinos who do not drink will find the cost of living low. I'm going to prepare complete tables about it.
Tell Serrano that I do not cease admiring the things sent by him and Viola. A few days ago, a young Viennese painter, one of my former students who came to see me, expressed admiration' for the highly developed artistic sense of the Tagalogs and said that, after all, we should be ashamed of being Europeans.
He as well as Mr. Moll of Berlin.- two artists of opposite viewpoints, the Berliner being a cold realist and the Viennese who is really from Leitmeritz and a Slav, an idealist of sensitive feelings - admire your statuettes. They are both agreed in the sublimity of the conception and execution of the statuette representing the triumph of death over life.
I'll write Serrano tomorrow or after tomorrow. Tell me what books are necessary for the teaching of German to the Filipinos; I'm going to send them to you.
With affectionate greetings from all of us to you and yours
Your brother,
Blumentritt
Leitmeritz, Austria,
1 November 1892
Dr. José Rizal
My very dear Friend,
I do not know if the letter I wrote you upon receiving the dreadful news of your deportation had reached your hands. I hope they had delivered it to you, for even the Turks allow exiles to receive letters and as the Spaniards are not Turks and always talk of their own generosity, nobility, and other qualities, I do not believe they had confiscated my letter, unless they would like to prove that that generosity and that nobility, etc. do not exist in reality and are a myth for which a Chinese would not give even a farthing. And as in the Philippines a tree leaf does not fall without the permission of the friars, I am convinced that the friars will permit that this letter be delivered to you for they ought to know that if I write you these few lines, I do so in fulfillment of the fifth work of mercy which requires us to console the sorrowful, and I do not expect that the friars would prevent me from fulfilling such a sacred duty of a Catholic. And in view of the insults against me that writers paid by the convents publish, I practice also another work of mercy, the fourth : To forgive the insults.
I and the whole family always think of you; the news that they treat you humanely inspires us little confidence for we have no direct news from you and we do know that the condition of a Filipino exile is as deplorable as that of a Russian.
My family is in good health. Loleng is studying Spanish and when she has learned that, she will take up Tagalog, although this study will be very difficult for my little daughter.
And as I talk about Tagalog, I am going to suggest to you that during your exile you devote your time to the preparation of a Tagalog grammar. You promised it to me when you were in free Europe but your other pursuits did not permit you to fulfill that promise. 1 There is no one in the Philippines with your talents, your knowledge. Moreover, you are a son of the Tagalog nation, so that no one better than you can provide your people and the whole Malayan world with a grammar of the Tagalog language. All the Tagalog grammars prepared by the friars have their particular and special merits, but their authors were not Tagalogs and besides they did not have the great general linguistic knowledge that made you shine in the circle of French, English, Dutch, German, and Austrian orientalists. So I beg you to do it, because with it, not only will you render an incalculable service to your mother country, to your people, and to the scientific world, but also you will overcome the sad reflections that always fill the mind of an exile.
And if the commander will permit you, I ask you to photograph a Subano, for until now I have not had the pleasure of seeing a picture or photograph of a representative of that peaceful and attractive Mindanao people. Painting or sketching is a pastime that will enable you to forget a little your misfortune. In my study room is the statue of Prometheus sculptured by your masterly hand. I always look at that statue with an inexpressible sadness. It was a prophecy of your destiny or fatum. But beside her is placed another, also done by you: The Trumph of Knowledge over Death. Its aspect consoles me; let them kill you; exoriare aliquis ex ossibus tuis ultor,1 and those noble ideas that always inspired you will triumph.
Now I have finished a very special work that kept me very busy: I have copied an old manuscript containing a catechism of the Christian Doctrine in the Ilongot language written by a Franciscan friar. I studied very much that- catechism, a diffi cult thing, because until now there has not been published any grammar, any dictionary of this Philippine language. But finally, I came to understand it by comparing it with the Tagalog and now it is already in press to be published next month. I shall have the greatest pleasure to send you the first copy that comes out of the press.
Well, this year is slipping from our hands and being almost on the eve of beginning another one, I take pleasure in reiterating to you the affectionate and fond wishes for your health, tranquility, and contentment of the entire Blumentritt family. May God grant that the justice and generosity of European Spain liberate you from your exile!
Your fraternal friend embraces you,
Fernando Blumentritt.
1"May an avenger arise from your ashes," paraphrasing Vergil's line. See footnote 2, letter No. 150.
Leitmeritz, Austria,
3 May 1893
Mr. Jose Rizal
My very dear Friend Rizal,
Through the kindness of Mr. Carnicero, commander of that` district of Dapitan, your affectionate letter of 15 February last reached my hands and you cannot imagine our joy upon receiving those lines written by our esteemed Rizal. All my family surrounded me and we discussed everything you have written us and we drank to your health and to that of Mr. Carnicero who, by treating you well, proves that Spanish generosity does not always flee away through the influence of tropical climate. By the same mail of today I send you some pamphlets written in German and I hope they will pass any kind of censorship for there is nothing in them that will offend, irritate, or disturb the governing class of the country. The covers of the pamphlets of Reclam's Universal Bibliothek contain the catalogue of that popular library and I ask 'you to read them and tell me which books announced in them you 'would like to read and I shall have the greatest pleasure to send them to you.
My whole family enjoy perfect health. Loleng is not yet a young lady, though she will be next year; she is now 13 years old. Numerous times we talk about you. The brothers KIut schack greet you affectionately. Robert Klutschack, the professor, is always feeling bad, neuralgia making him suffer greatly. Nevertheless, this good old man - he is in his 70's - takes long excursions to the mountains around.
The death of Dr. Czepelack was for me a disaster. He was the only one of my friends residing in this city who was always in accord with my political, national, and social ideas. Our conversations were like a spiritual bath to both of us alike; and his death has left a gap in my circle of friends which is very difficult to fill.
Yesterday Dr. and Mrs. A. B. Meyer of Dresden called on us. Mrs. Meyer was surprised by the magnificence and geniality of the statues you presented to me when you were in Belgium. Mrs. Meyer, who is a painter, admired particularly the statue the Triumph o f Death over Life, saying that the idea personified by that group reveals an artist of the first order,
The French, English, Dutch, and German linguists are very much interested in you. They are asking me how you are there, how they 'treat you, and if they accord you the distinction that a mar, of so much talent and reputation in the learned world of Europe deserves. You would contribute greatly to their solace if you would publish a grammar of the Tagalog language. At least they will know that the Spanish government permits you to engage in scientific work.
You know very well that I devote all my free hours from official duties to the study of my second motherland, the Philippines. These days I have read several pamphlets by Spanish authors, friars and non-friars, which do not satisfy me, for they show that their authors do not know the most interesting things of the country in which they live. I shall have the same impression if a German residing in Madrid should write an article about Madrid without knowing that the museums of that capital city contain precious gems of paintings.
I request you to transmit to Father Sanchez my respectful greetings. I must admit that when I learned that they have banished you to a town administered by the Jesuit fathers, my anxiety was calmed and I was no longer so distressed, knowing that where there are Jesuits, there will also be science, and thus you would not drag out an isolated life, without contact with learned and educated men. Please tell Father Sanchez that when 1 published my ethnographic map of central Mindanao, I found some rivers without names that flow into Butuan Lake which do not appear on the maps, sketches, and guides that I used as reference in that cartographic work.
The directors of the Cartographic Institute of Gotha, where that map was printed, proposed to me that it would be a good thing for me to baptize those rivers which had no names on the original maps, sketches, and guides. As I had no inconvenience whatever, I acceded to their proposal, giving those rivers the names of General San Feliu and of some Jesuit fathers among which is the name of the revered missionary Father Sanchez, whose letters published in Cartas de Misioneros I have always read with singular attention and interest.
My family send you a thousand affectionate regards. A close embrace of your friend,
Fernando Blumentritt
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