Rizal in Gay Paris, 1889-90

CHAPTER 16

“IN GAY PARIS ”(1889-90)

CHAPTER 16

“The truth is that Paris is not the perfect city imagined by many Parsiennes.”

 • March 1889- It was extremely difficult for a visitor to find

living quarters in Paris.

• International Exposition of 1889

-attracted thousands of tourists so that all hotel

accommodations

were taken.

To the great disgust of Rizal, the cost of living spiraled high

because the French landlords, taking advantage of great

demand for living quarters, raised the rents of their rooms.

Difficulty of Finding Living Quarters

 • Valentin Ventura-Rizal’s friend where he lived for a short time.

• No. 45 Rue Maubeugue- the address of Ventura’s house where Rizal polished his annotated edition of Morga’s book.

Filipino Roommates of Rizal1. Capitan Justo Trinidad-former

gobernadorcillo of Santa Ana, Manila & a refugee from Spanish tyranny.

2. Jose Albert-young student from Manila.

 1. Rizal spent most of his time in the reading room of Bibliotheque

Nationale.2. During his spare hours, he used to dine at the homes of his friends:

-Pardo de Taveras-the Venturas-the Ramirezes- the Rochas

3. Frequent visitor of the Boustead family4. Continue his study of languages5. On Sundays, he attended the fencing lessons at the studio of Luna.6. He carried on his artistic hobby.

Life in Paris

 

The Three Pardo de Taveras

The Three Pardo de Taveras

1. Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera- physician by vocation & philologist by avocation.

2. Dr. Felix Pardo de Tavera-also a physician by vocation & an

artist & sculptor.

3. Paz Pardo de Tavera-wife of Juan luna and the one who said that Rizal was “very fond of Philippine dishes.”

These three Pardo de Taveras were the good friends of Rizal.

Don Joaquin Pardo de Tavera

-was born in the Philippines, the son of a rich French businessman of Singapore & had

married a daughter of prominent Genato family of Manila. He has two daughters named

Nelly and Adelina.

 

The Kidlat Club

Towards the end of March 1889, shortly after the

arrival in Paris, Rizal organized his paisanos into a

society called kidlat Club.

Members of Kidlat Club

1. Antonio Luna 5. Gregorio Aguilera

2. Juan Luna 6. Fernando Canon

3. Lauro Dimayuga 7. Gregorio Pautu

4. Baldomero Roxas 8. Julio Llorente

KIDLAT CLUB-was purely a social club of temporary

nature.

-founded by Rizal simply to bring together

the young Filipinos in the French capital so that

they could enjoy their sojourn in the city during

the international exposition.

 

He wrote to Blumentritt: “Kidlat in

Tagalog means lightning, and for the

same reason this club will live only

during the exposition. We thought of it

and established it in hour. And it will

soon disappear like lightning.”

 

Rizal and the members of the Kidlat Club usually went sightseeing trips, at the exposition grounds in one group. Rizal, who could speak French fluently, acted as their guide & interpreter. In one of their sightseeing trips, they saw Buffalo Bill’s troupe

& were impressed by the American Indians wearing war paints and feathers, proudly riding their horses like centaurs. The tall, dignified proud, & powerfully built Indians ignited Rizal’s imagination. He told his friends:

“ Why should we resent being called Indios by the Spaniards. Look at the American Indians. “They were not ashamed of their race. Let us be like them. Let us be proud of the name Indio & make Spaniards revise their conception of the term. We shall become Indios Bravos!”

INDIOS BRAVOS

 

Indios Bravos-was the new society of Filipinos which was established in Paris.-replaced the Kidlat Club.

Members:1. Aguilera 5. Antonio Luna2. Dimayuga 6. Juan Luna3. Pautu 7. Llorente4. Canon 8. Roxas

 

Annotated Edition of Morga Published

• January 1890-the publication date of

Rizal’s annotated edition of Morga’s

Sucesos.• Morga’s Sucesos

-Rizal’s outstanding achievement in Paris which he wrote in the British Museum. -printed by Garnier Freres.

-dedicated this historical work “TO THE FILIPINOS.”

 Blumentritt revealed Rizal’s errors in historical work,

namely;

1. Rizal commits the error of many historians in

appraising the events of the past in the light of present

standards; and

2. Rizal’s attacks on the church were unfair & unjustified

because the abuses of the friars should not be

construed to mean that Catholicism is bad.

 Reason why Rizal annotated &

published Morga’s Sucesos

1. It was the best of many histories of the Philippines written by the early Spanish writers.

2. It has accurate narration of events.3. It was unbiased in judgment.4. It was unmarred by childish fantasies.

 

International Association of Filipinologists

• January 14, 1889-Rizal broached the idea of

establishing the International Association of

Filipinologists & its inaugural convention in the French

capital to Blumentritt through a letter and the latter

gladly supported him.

• Blumentritt-wrote the prospectus of this international

association. According to his prospectus, the aim of the

association is “to study the Philippines from the

scientific & historical point of view.”

 

Officers of IAF

• President: Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt (Austrian)• V-President: Mr. Edmund Plauchut (French)• Counsellor: Dr. Reinhold Rost (Anglo-German)• Counsellor: Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor (Filipino-

Spanish)• Secretary: Dr. Jose Rizal (Filipino)

AUGUST 1889-the scheduled date made by Rizal in

holding the inaugural convention of the

International Association of Filipinologists in Paris.

 Rizal invited the following renowned

scholars in Europe:1. Dr. Rost 4. Dr. A.B. Meyer2. Dr. Yule 5. Dr. Kern 3. Dr. Jagor 6. Dr. Czepelak

The inaugural convention did not

materialize because the French government

discouraged the holding of conferences by

private organizations during the period of the

international exposition .

 

FILIPINO COLLEGE IN HONGKONG To establish a modern college in Hongkong

-was another magnificent project of Rizal in Paris. Jose Maria Basa-Rizal’s friend whom he wrote a

letter about this matter.According to Rizal, this college aims “to train &

educate men of good family & financial means inaccordance with the demands of modern times & circumstances. Mr. Cunanan-a rich Filipino resident , promised to

help him raise Php 40,000 as initial capital for the the college.

 

FILIPINO COLLEGE IN HONGKONG The curriculum consisted of the following subjects:

Ethics-Study of Religions-Natural Law-Civil Law Deportment-HygieneMathematics-Physics & Chemistry-Natural History- Geography-Political EconomyUniversal History-Philippine History-Logic, Rhetoric and PoeticsSpanish-English-French-German-Chinese-TagalogGymnastics-Equitation-Fencing-Swimming-Music Drawing-Dancing

 

Por Telefono Rizal defended his Noli from slanderous

attack of Fray Jose Rodriguez by penning a satirical booklet entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez.

Por Telefono-another satirical work written by Rizal in the fall of 1889 as a reply to another slanderer, Fr. Salvador Font, who masterminded the banning of Noli. It was published in booklet form in Barcelona in the year 1889.

August 13, 1889-Rizal received the printed copies from Mariano Ponce, as revealed by his letter to the latter in Paris.

 

Rizal and Boustead SistersAdelina Boustead-another romantic of Rizal in Paris.

-younger sister of the vivacious Nelly (Nellie), who is quiet, refined & dignified.

Nelly Boustead-gay-hearted and sports-minded, who was attracted to Antonio Luna, a dashing man of violent passions.

November 16, 1889-Luna wrote to Rizal, announcing his trip to Barcelona to seek a duel with Mir Deas,

Spanish newspaperman who was writing articles against the Filipinos.

 

Rizal and Boustead Sisters1891-Rizal was grieving over Leonor Rivera’s

coming marriage to an Englishman, Mr. Henry C. Kipping.Biarritz on the beautiful French Riviera is an spot

for romance.Rizal’s marriage proposal to Adelina did not prosper

for 3 reasons:1.Adelina was not sure he loved her because of his

broken engagement with Leonor Rivera;2. Rizal refused to accept the condition that he

become a Protestant like her; and3. Adelina’s mother opposed the match because

Rizal was not rich enough to support a family in style.

 

Christmas in ParisDecember 25, 1889-was a wintry day in Paris.1.Rizal, Jose Albert together with Capitan Justo Trinidad,

who were living together planned to have a sumptuous

dinner. 2. They scraped enough money to celebrate yuletide.3. They prepared a Christmas dinner with a fried chicken,

rice and vegetables.

Two Reasons of Rizal’s Visit to London:2.to compare his printed annotated edition of Morga’s

Sucesos with the original copy in the British Museum; and

2. to visit Gertrude Beckett for the last time.

Thank you!