January 28, 1890

Paris Brussels (Capital of Belgium )

2 Reasons•The cost of living in Paris was very high because of the Universal Exposition•Gay social life of the city hampered his literary works

Life in Brussels-In Brussels, Rizal was busy writing

his second novel which was a continuation of the Noli. He also

wrote articles for La Solidaridad and letters to his family and friends.

Being a physician, he spent part of his time in the medical clinic. For

recreation he had gymnastics, target practice and fencing.

During his sojourn in Brussels, Rizal wrote articles for La Solidaridad in defense of his

oppressed people and to point out the evils of Spanish rule in the Philippines.

Articles Published in La Solidaridad

“A La Defensa” (To La Defensa)“La Verdad Para Todos” (The Truth For All)“Vicente Barrantes’ Teatro Tagalo,”“Una Profanacion” (A Profanation)“Verdades Nuevas” (New Truths)“Crueldad” (Cruelty)“Diferencias” (Differences)“Inconsequencias” (Inconsequences)“Llanto y Risas” (Tears and Laughter)“Ingratitudes” (Ingratitude)

New Orthography of Tagalog Laungage

-Rizal was the first to advocate the Filipinization of its orthography. The tagalong letter k and w

should be used instead of the Spanish c and o.

Salacot = SalakotArao = Araw

As early as in September, 1886, Rizal adopted the Filipinized Tagalog orthographyin his tagalong translations of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell and Andersen’s Fairy Tales.( The new Orthography of the Tagalog Language was published in La Solidaridad

on April 15, 1890. )

-

Rizal Criticizes Madrid Filipino for

Gambling -Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura that the

Filipinos in Spain were destroying the good name of their nation by

gambling to much. -Rizal wrote to M.H. Del Pilar on May 28, 1890 to remind the Filipinos in Madrid that they did not come to Europe to gamble, but to work.

The gambling Filipinos in Madrid got angry. They called Rizal “Papa” (Pope) instead of

Pepe.

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. The Dominican Order filed a suit in court to dispossess the Rizal family of

their lands in Calamba. Paciano and the brothers-in-law Antonio Lopez (husband of Narcisa) and

Silvestre Ubaldo (husband of Olympia) weredeported to

Mindoro. Another brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo (husband of

Saturnina) ws banished for a 2nd time to Bohol. The sad news

depressed Rizal.

-Rizal wrote a letter to Soledad on June 6, 1890

Preparation to Go Home

Rizal planned to go home. He could not stay in Brussels writing

a book while his parents, relatives, and friends were persecuted. All his friends,

including Blumentritt, Jose Ma. Basa, and Ponce, were horrified by Rizal’s plan to return to the

Philippines. They warned him of the danger that awaited him at

home.

Decision to Go to Madrid

-Suddenly a letter from Pacaino changed Rizal’s mind to go back home. The letter says that they

lost thethe case against the Dominicans in Manila. Rizal then wrote to M.H. Del Pilar on June 28, 1890 retaining the latter’s services as a laywer, he further informed Del Pilar that he was

going to Madrid, in order to supervise the handling of the

case.