CHAPTER-4

TOPIC 5- FIRST RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES 1887-1888

TRAVEL TO THE PHILIPPINES
The stunning beauty of the European lands did not stop Rizal from continuously adoring
his native land. After the Noli Me Tangere was published, he decided to return to
Calamba despite the many warning he received from friends and relatives alike.
• He had four reasons for returning to the Philippines:
a) To perform an operation on Dona Teodora’s eyes;
b) To defend his oppressed countrymen more effectively than doing so in a foreign
land;
c) To find out how his Noli was received by the Filipinos and Spaniards; and
d) To know the reason for Leonor Rivera’s long silence.

• July 3, 1887, Rizal left Marseilles (France), it was his first return to the Philippines
after leaving it to study in Spain five years ago.
• August 6, 1887, he arrived in Manila and visited some friends.
AT HIS HOMETOWN
• August 8, 1887, he reached Calamba. He opened a medical clinic and restored
his mother’s vision. Such “miraculous” news spread throughout the community like wild
fire, thus, his clinic was flocked by people aspiring for a better eyesight. Newly arrived
from Germany, he began to be known as “ Doctor Uliman” (from the word Aleman) and
soon he acquired a lucrative medical practice. He earned $900 from his services as
physician.
• Rizal opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European
sports to discourage his town mates from idleness and gambling.
• He also took part in Calamba’s civic affairs and on his spare time made paintings
of the towns landscapes and translated the German poems of Von Wildernath into
Tagalog.
• His happy days at Calamba was marred with the death of his older sister,
Olimpia, and to see Leonor Rivera. His family begged him not to see her at her
hometown in Camiling because of increasing concerns about his safety. Also Leonor’s
mother objected to their relationship.
THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE NOLI
• Copies of the Noli Me Tangere had arrived at the Philippines weeks before
Rizal’s return to the Philippines. Some of copies of his book fell into the hands of the
Spaniards especially the friars. They found the novel “heretical, impious, and
scandalous in the religious order and anti-patriotic, subversive of public order, injurious
to the government of Spain and its function in the Philippine Islands in the political
order”.
• The controversy over the novel had reached the office of Governor General
Emilio Terrero. He requested Rizal to come to Malacańang Palace. Rizal met Governor
General Emilio Terrero who informed him of the charges against him. As a defense,
Rizal told Terrero that Noli only expose reality. Not having read the book yet and out of
curiosity, the governor general asked for a copy of the controversial novel, which he
later confessed that he enjoyed reading. He saw no problem on the book, yet to protect
Rizal’s life which was then in danger, he assigned Jose Taviel de Andrade, a young
Spanish lieutenant, as Rizal’s personal bodyguard. The friars asked Governor General
Terrero to deport him, but the latter refused because there was no valid charge against
Rizal in court.
• While still in Calamba, Rizal was seen as a troublemaker. There are groundless
tales circulated by his enemies that he was “a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, a
Protestant, a Mason, a witch, a soul beyond salvation, etc.” Realizing that his family’s
and friend’s safety were risked; and that his fight against the Spaniards have better
chance of winning if he’d stay abroad, Rizal, six months after, finally decided to sail
back to Europe. His plan was to return to Europe via Hong Kong, Macao, Japan and the
United States

TOPIC 6- TRAVELS IN ASIA ( HONG KONG, MACAU AND JAPAN) AND THE U.S.
FIRST TRIP TO HONG KONG AND MACAU
• On February 3, 1888, with a heavy heart, Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong. His
powerful enemies refused to give him peace and quiet. Anonymous letters with threats
on his life were sent to his parents’ house in Calamba.
• On February 8, 1888- Rizal arrived in Hong Kong and he was welcomed by
Filipino residents.
• Jose Sainz de Varranda, Terrero’s former secretary, followed Rizal in the said
British colony, and was believed to be commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy
on the hero.
• While in Hong Kong, Rizal engaged in cultural activities. Among the experiences
while he observed were:
a) The Chinese way of celebrating their New Year, which included making noise
and exploding firecrackers to drive away evil spirits;
 b) Chinese lauriat parties, where they served many different types of dishes;
c) Chinese theatres which used symbolisms and noisy music to entertain an equally
noise audience;
d) He also managed to visit different churches and cemeteries that were owned by
Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims.
• On February 18-21, 1888, Rizal also visited Macau, a Portuguese colony near
Hong Kong. He was invited to stay at the residence of Don Juan Francisco Lecaros,
who was a former Filipino delegate to the Spanish Cortes. For two days, Rizal enjoyed
being a tourist and visited different cultural places which included churches, botanical
gardens, theaters and the Macao Casino.
• February 22, 1888- Rizal left Hong Kong, his destination was Japan.
IN JAPAN
• February 28, 1888- Rizal arrived in Yokohama, the next day he went to Tokyo
and stayed at Tokyo Hotel for six days.
• Shortly after his arrival, Juan Perez Caballero-secretary of the Spanish Legation,
visited Rizal at his hotel who latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation. Rizal
being an intelligent man, realized that the Spanish diplomatic authorities were instructed
from Manila to keep track of his activities. Since it was economical to stay at the
legation and he believed that he had nothing to hide, he accepted it.
• March 7, 1888- Rizal checked out of Tokyo Hotel and lived at the Spanish
Legation
• Rizal was impressed by the scenic Japan and had keenly observed the life,
customs, and culture of the people. The things which favourably impressed Rizal in
Japan were: the beauty of the country; the cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the
Japanese people; the picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women;
there were very few thieves in Japan; beggars were rarely seen in the city, streets,
unlike in Manila and other cities.
• April 13, 1888, Rizal left Japan and boarded the Belgic, bound for the United
States.

RIZAL’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES (April- May 1888)

• April 28, 1888, Rizal arrived in San Francisco, California. The ship was held
under quarantine by the American health authorities, reasoning that there was a cholera
epidemic in the Far East where their ship come from. Rizal and other first class
passenger of the ship were released from quarantine and allowed to land after seven
days.
• On May 4, 1888, Rizal arrived in San Francisco and registered at the Palace
Hotel and stayed for two days. May 6, 1888, he was in Oakland, he boarded the train for
his grand transcontinental trip to the American continent. He was able to see places
such as Sacramento, Reno, (Nevada), Colorado, Nebraska, Chicago, Albany and on
May 13 he reached New York. He stayed in this city for three days, he visited the scenic
and historic places.
RIZAL’S IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA
• Good impressions
a) the material progress of the country as shown in the great cities, huge farms,
flourishing industries and busy factories;
b) the drive and energy of the American People
c) the natural beauty of the land
d) the high standard of living;
e) the opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants.
• Bad impression
a) the lack of racial equality: “America is the land par excellence of freedom but only
for the whites”
• May 16, 1888- Rizal left New York for Liverpool, England.

TOPIC 7- REFORMIST WORKS IN EUROPE (1889-1981)

IN LONDON
• May 25, 1888 to mid-March 1889- Rizal decided to stay in London because he
could improve his English, study and do an annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucecos de
las Islas Filipinas and perceived it was a place for him to carry on the reforms he
wanted for the Philippines.
ANNOTATING MORGA’S BOOK
• May 1888-March 1889- He spent ten months (10) in the reading room of the
British Museum deeply immersed in his historical studies in London. This was the
greatest achievement of Rizal in London, the annotating of Morga’s book, Sucesos de
las Islas Filipinas (Historical Events of the Philippine Islands), which was published in
Mexico, 1609.

RIZAL AND THE LA SOLIDARIDAD

• December 31, 1888- inauguration of Asociacion La Solidaridad (Solidaridad
Association), a patriotic society. They crusade for reforms in the Philippine Government.
By unanimous vote of all members, Rizal was chosen honorary president. This was a
recognition of his leadership among all Filipino patriots in Europe.
• February 15, 1889- Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the patriotic newspaper
called La Solidaridad in Barcelona. A fortnightly periodical which served as the organ of
the Propaganda Movement.
• Its aims were as follows: to
work peacefully for political and
social reforms; to portray the
deplorable conditions of the
Philippines so that Spain may
remedy them; to oppose the
evil forces of reaction and
medievalism; to advocate
liberal ideas and progress; to
champion the legitimate
aspirations of the Filipino
people to life, democracy and
happiness. During his stay in
London, Rizal also made used
of his time in writing essays
and articles for La Solidaridad.
He also wrote La Vision del
Fray Rodriguez (The Vision of
Fray Rodriguez)-pamphlet which published in Barcelona under his nom-de-plume
Dimas Alang in order to defense his novel.
• In London, Rizal received both good news and bad news from news. The good
news that Rev. Vicente Garcia was defending his Noli from the attacks of the friars. On
the other hand, the bad news were that the Filipino signatories of the “ Petition of 1888”
and the tenants of the Calamba agrarian trouble were facing persecution; that his
brothers-in-law Manuel T. HIdalgo and Mariano Herbosa, were exiled to Bohol and was
denied Christian burial, respectively; and his friend, Laureno Viadoa, a UST medical
student, was imprisoned for possessing some copies of his Noli.
IN PARIS
• It was mid-March 1899, Rizal decided to move to Paris. He noticed that Parisian
life was different from the life he experienced in London. It was a city bursting with
merriment, exciting events, and unending social gathering. The cost of living was also
very high.
• Rizal never lost his focus although life in Paris was gay, he continued to spend
long hours at the National library in Paris. There, he went on reviewing and rewriting his
historical annotations on De Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas. It was published on
January 1890. He also wrote a satirical booklet entitled Por Telefono, in answer to Fr.
Salvation Fort, a Spanish friar who hurled attacks on the Noli Me Tangere and caused
its banning.
• He continued his study on various languages especially the French language,
which he was able to perfect during his 10 months stay at the French capital city.
• He organized a social club called Kidlat Club , a social club which brought
together young Filipinos residing in Paris. Soon, the members of the said club founded
a new Filipino society - the Indios Bravos, an organization which envisioned Filipinos
being recognized by Spain for being excellent in various fields of knowledge.
• In between his more serious activities, Rizal also had leisurely activities like
socializing with friends in their homes. Among those he frequently visited were the
homes of the Pardo de Taveras, the Venturas, the Lunas, the Bousteads and others.
• Although Rizal lived a frugal life, he prepared a sumptuous Christmas dinner for
some of his friends. Shortly after New Year, he visited London for the last time
In BRUSSELS
• January 28, 1890, left Paris for Brussels. He left the extravagant and gay social
life in Paris and stayed in a boarding house owned by the Jacoby sisters in Brussels.
• From 1889- 1890, Rizal continued contributing for La Solidaridad under the
pseudonyms Dimas Alang and Laong Laan. Among the 10 articles he had contributed
below were some of the most famous and important articles:
a) The Philippines Within a Century-article written by Rizal which he expressed his
views on the Spanish colonization in the Philippines.
b) The Indolence of the Filipinos- It is an able defence of the alleged indolence of
the Filipinos.
c) the Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala (The New Orthography of the
Tagalog Language) In this article, he laid down the rules of the new Tagalog
orthography
• From Calamba, Rizal received letters telling that the agrarian trouble in the
province was getting worse, and as such, he decided to go home. But instead of going
home, a letter from Paciano told him that they already lost the case against the
Dominicans and they were in need of a lawyer who would defend their family and the
families in Calamba from Madrid.
• Rizal wrote a letter to Ponce, he announced that he was leaving Brussels and
decided to go to Madrid because this case must be presented to the Supreme Court
and he needs to pay close attention to the developments of the case.

MISFORTUNES IN MADRID (1890-1891)

• August, 1890, Rizal arrived in Madrid. Upon arrival in Madrid. Rizal immediately
sought help of the Filipino colony, The Asociacion Hispano-Filipina, and the liberal
Spanish newspaper in securing justice for the oppressed Calamba tenants. Nothing
came out of this, several newspapers were sympathetic to the plight of the Calamba
tenants but this did not translate to any form of action. By this time, Francisco Rizal and
other tenants were already forcibly evicted from Calamba by Governor General
Valeriano Weyler. Their houses were burned and more people were exiled regardless
of their gender.
• August 1890, Rizal attended a social reunion of the Filipinos in Madrid. After
drinking so many glasses the guests became more talkative. One of them, Antonio Luna
became drunk. Rizal challenged Antonio Luna, it was about the latter’s frustration with
his unsuccessful “love affair” with Nellie Boustead, and so gave negative remarks on the
lady which Rizal did not tolerated. The Filipinos tried to pacify them, pointing out that
such a duel would damage their cause in Spain. Fortunately, Luna, realized his
mistakes he apologized and Rizal immediately accepted his apology and became good
friends again.
• Rizal challenged Wenceslao Retana in a duel. Retana had insulted Rizal and his
family by writing in La Epoca, an anti-Filipino newspaper, that the Rizal family in
Calamba was ejected from their lands because they did not pay their rents. Rizal was,
by nature neither hot-tempered but when the honor of his people, family, women or
friends was besmirched, he never hesitated to fight even if he were risking his own life.
Retana at once published a retraction and an apology, he knew that Rizal was superior
in both pistol and sword.
• December 1890, Rizal received a letter from Leonor Rivera announcing her
coming marriage to Henry Kipping, an Englishman (the choice of her mother).This was
a big blow for him and his heart broke.
• Another marked event in Madrid was the Marcelo H. del Pilar-Jose Rizal rivalry
for leadership in the Asociacion Hispano Filipino. A fraction emerged from the Filipinos
in Madrid, the Rizalistas and Pilaristas. The group decided that the leader must be
elected by two-thirds vote. Rizal won the election, he was offered the appointment but
he did not want to see the Filipinos in Madrid divided so he thought it best to leave the
city.
• Rizal took a vacation in the resort city of Biarritz on the fabulous French Riviera.
He was a guest of the rich Boustead family at its winter residence—Villa Eliada. The
one month vacation in this city worked wonders for Rizal. This is where he was able to
finish his second novel El Filibusterismo.
• March 30, 1891, Rizal bade farewell to the hospitable and friendly Bousteads and
proceeded to Paris by Train. He stayed at the home of his friend Valentin Ventura.
RETIREMENT FROM THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENT
• April 1891, Rizal was back to Brussels where he became busy revising and
polishing the manuscript of El Filibusterismo.
• Rizal retired from the Propaganda Movement. He notified the Propaganda
authorities in Manila to cancel his monthly allowance and devote the money to some
better cause, such as the education of a young Filipino student in Europe. He desired to
publish his second novel, to practice his medical profession, and later when he became
financially independent, he expected to make a more vigorous campaign for his
country’s redemption.
• Simultaneously with his retirement from the Propaganda Movement, Rizal
ceased writing articles for La Solidaridad. Many of his friends in Spain urged him to
continue writing because his articles always attracted considerable attention in
European countries.
• M.H. Del Pilar himself realized the need for Rizal’s collaboration in both the
Propaganda Movement and in the La Solidaridad newspaper because the enthusiasm
for the reform crusade was declining. He wrote to Rizal begging for forgiveness for any
resentment and requesting him to resume writing for the La Solidaridad.
• Rizal replied to Del Pilar’s letter, he wrote denying any resentment and explaining
why he stopped writing. Below are reasons why Rizal stopped writing for La Solidaridad:
a) Rizal need to work on his book ;
b) He wanted other Filipinos to work also;
c) Rizal considered it very important to the party that there be unity in the work ;
d) Marcelo H. Del Pilar is already at the top and Rizal also have his own ideas it is
better to leave del Pilar alone to direct the policy.

THE PRINTING OF THE EL FILIBUSTERISMO

• July 5, 1891- Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a famous university city in Belgium
because the cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper than in Brussels. F. Meyer-Van Loo
Press-a printing shop that give Rizal the lowest quotation for the publication of his novel.
• August 6, 1891-the printing of his book had to be suspended because Rizal could
no longer give the necessary funds to the printer. Valentin Ventura- the savior of the Fili,
when he learned of Rizal’s predicament he sent him the necessary funds.
• September 18, 1891- El Filibusterismo came off the press. Rizal gratefully
donated the original manuscript and an autographed printed copy to Valentin Ventura

TOPIC 8- BACK IN HONGKONG

• On October 18, 1891, after the Fili’ was published, Rizal left Europe. Aboard the
S.S Melbourne, he sailed to Hongkong where he lived for seven months. His reasons
for venturing to Hongkong were the following:
a) To leave his rivalry with del PIlar
b) To facilitate a Propaganda Movement in Hongkong; and
c) To be proximate to his family in the Philippines
• On November 20, 1891, Rizal arrived in Hongkong and was cordially welcomed
by the Filipino residents in the city, particularly, his friend Jose Ma. Basa.

• December 1, 1891- Rizal wrote his parents asking their permission to return
home. Rizal had a continued correspondence with his family in Calamba and had been
aware of the unsettled agrarian problem. On the same date, his brother-in-law, Manuel
T. Hidalgo, sent him a letter relating the sad news of the “deportation of twenty-five
persons from Calamba, including father, Neneng, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano and the rest of
us.”
FAMILY REUNION IN HONG KONG
• The Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong was one of the happiest Yuletide
celebrations in Rizal’s life, he had a happy family reunion.
• While in Hongkong, Rizal practiced his medical career. With the help of his
friend, Dr Lorenzo P. Marquez, they built a large clientele and opened a medical clinic
where he was recognized as an excellent eye surgeon. He was equally supported and
aided both morally and financially by his family and friends with his chosen career.
• Another marked event during Rizal’s stay in Hongkong was his plan to move the
landless Filipino to Borneo and transform the said wilderness into a “New Calamba”
through the so-called Borneo Colonization Project.
• In April 1802, he visited Borneo and negotiated with the British authorities who
are willing to provide 100,000 acres of land for the Filipinos. Many Filipino patriots found
this project amusing, thus, promoted the said project. However, there were a number
who objected it, one of which was Rizal’s brother-in-law, Hidalgo.
• Twice did Rizal wrote a letter addressed to Governor General Eulogio Despujol
informing his Borneo colonization project, with whom he received no response. Instead,
Despujol commanded the Spanish consul-general in Hongkong to notify Rizal that such
project was very unpatriotic, and by immigrating Filipinos to Borneo, the Philippines will
surely be lacking of laborers.
• Despite the many oppositions from friends and relatives, he decided to return to
Manila on the following reasons:
 a) To discuss with Governor General Despujol his Borneo colonization
project;
b) To form the La Liga Filipina in the Philippines; and
c) To prove that Eduardo de Lete’s allegations on him and his family in
Calamba were wrong.
• Before his departure, he wrote three more letters- the first addressed to his
parents and friends; the second one, to Filipinos; and the last Governor General Eulogio
Despujol.
• Instead of having the protection he desired, Rizal and his sister, Lucia fell into the
Spanish trap - a case was secretly filed against Rizal, and Despujol ordered his
secretary, Luis de la Torre, to verify whether the patriot had neutralized himself as
German citizen or not. And so, the siblings sailed across the China Sea without prior
knowledge of what awaits then in the Philippines.

TOPIC 9- RIZAL’S GREAT LOVES

1) Second Love: Leonor Valenzuela (1878)
Leonor “Orang” Valenzuela, Rizal’s second
object of affection, is literally the girl-next-door. They
met when Rizal was a sophomore medical student at
the University of Santo Tomas, during which time he
also lived at Doña Concha Leyva’s boarding house in
Intramuros, Manila. Orang, who was then 14 years old,
was his neighbour. During the courtship, Rizal was
said to have sent Leonor private and secret love letters,
which he wrote using invisible ink made with water and
salt—he was adept in chemistry, too. To read the
letters, Orang had to heat the letter over a candle or a
lamp. Rizal also frequented the Valenzuelas’ home,
which was a hang out place of the students in the area.
There are, however, documents that may serve as proof that Rizal’s efforts were not
effective. Some accounts say he was courting Leonor Valenzuela and his second
cousin Leonor Rivera at the same time—thus the need for invisible letters. (Still, we
need to appreciate the effort that went with it.) Rivera apparently knew of this and gave
way to Rivera’s attraction for Rizal. When Rizal left for Spain in 1882, it was said that he
did say goodbye to Orang, but kept in touch with the help of Rizal’s close friend, Jose
“Chenggoy” Cecilio.

2) Third Love: Leonor Rivera, Age 15, (1878-1890)

 Jose Rizal was never the preferred choice of
Leonor Rivera’s mother, who confiscated all the
correspondences between Leonor and Rizal till it
frittered down to zero. Rizal was 18 going on 21 and
was devoted to Leonor. But he was just then opening
his eyes to Europe’s Enlightenment, where the
women were pleasing and the men were gallant.
Rizal really was in love with Leonor Rivera. He even
invented a coded alphabet so that they could write
sweet nothings to each other. But soon, Leonor faded
in memory. Why? Because in Europe, Rizal
conveniently romanced other girls and forgot he was
engaged to her. Eventually the Leonor Rivera-Rizal
engagement did not survive the long-distance
romance. In the end, it turned into an idealized one
(reflected as Maria Clara in Rizal’s novel, Noli me
Tangere), a painful love match doomed to fail from
the very start. Yes, count this one as real love. As an engaged couple, they showed real
affection for each other while it lasted.

3) Fourth Love: Consuelo Ortiga Y Reyes, (1884)

In Madrid, Rizal courted Consuelo Ortiga, age

18, the daughter of Señor Pablo Ortiga y Rey, who
was once mayor of Manila and who owned the
apartment where the Circulo Hispano Filipino met
regularly. Rizal, age 23, was then acquiring and
developing his charming ways with women. He
treated them with special consideration and with
gallant courteousness. All the young Filipino
expatriates courted Consuelo, and she in turn
encouraged every one including José Rizal, Eduardo
Lete, the Paterno brothers (Pedro, Antonino,
Maximiano), Julio Llorente, Evangelista, Evaristo
Esguerra, Fernando Canon and others. Rizal gave
Consuelo gifts: sinamay cloth, embroidered piña
handkerchiefs, chinelas (slippers) -- all ordered
through his sisters in Calamba (see his letters).
Consuelo accepted all the swains’ regalos but played
Eduardo Lete against Rizal. She finally rejected
Rizal’s attention in favor of Eduardo’s, a Filipino Spanish mestizo from Leyte who, a
year later, dumped her. Two-timing Consuelo didn't really catch Rizal's true fancy
except that he impulsively joined the crowd.

4) Fifth Love: O Sei-San, Age 22, The Samurai’s Daughter (1888)

Rizal had fallen in love not only with the view of
Japan but more to its women, particularly with the 23-
year old Seiko Usui. Rizal affectionately called her O-
Sei-San. Rizal was attracted by her regal loveliness
and charm. Rizal saw in her the qualities of his ideal
womanhood—beauty, charm, modesty and intelligence.
Rizal was almost tempted to settle in Japan with O-Sei-
San. Although, she was very dear to him, his love for
his country and fellow Filipinos was greater. Sacrificing
his personal happiness, Rizal had to carry on his
libertarian mission in Europe, leaving behind the lovely
O-Sei-San.
“O Sei San, sayonara, sayonara! …. No woman
like you has ever loved me. … Like the flower of the
chodji that falls from the stem whole and fresh without
stripping leaves or withering... you have not lost your
purity nor have the delicate petals of your innocence faded--sayonara, sayonara.” Rizal.

5) Sixth Love: Gertrude Beckett, Age 19, (1886)

In May 1888 Rizal visited London for a short
time, boarding the house of the Beckett family: Mr. &
Mrs. Beckett, their two sons, and their four
daughters. The eldest daughter was named
Gertrude.She was a buxom young lady with blue
eyes and brown hair. She fell in love with Rizal and
gave him all of her attention during the family picnics
and gatherings. When Rizal stayed indoors during
rainy days painting and sculpting, she helped him
mix his colors and prepare his clay.
Rizal enjoyed her company. Eventually their
flirtatious friendship drifted towards a blossoming
romance. He affectionately called her "Gettie," and
in return she called him "Pettie."Rizal withdrew
before his relationship with Gettie could become
more serious, realizing that he had a greater mission
to fulfill and that in order to accomplish it he could not yield to the option of marrying her.
He suppressed the yearnings of his heart and decided to leave so that the lady may
forget him. Before he did, however, he finished a number of sculptural works, one of
which was a carving of the heads of the Beckett sisters.

6) Seventh Love: Suzanne Jacoby (1890)

On January 28, 1890, Rizal left for Brussels,
Belgium. He stayed for a considerable time, paying for
room and board. His landladies had a pretty niece
named Petite Suzanne Jacoby. She was taken by
Rizal's charm and gallantry, and provided him good
company. Rizal could have flirted with the lady,
considering that his beloved Leonor was far away and
he was a lonely man in a strange and foreign land, but
he realized he could not deceive her. Suzanne fell in
love with Rizal, and wept when he left for Madrid in
July 1890.
She wrote to him in French:
"Where are you now? Do you think of me once
in a while? I am reminded of our tender conversations,
reading your letter, although it is cold and indifferent.
Here in your letter I have something which makes up
for your absence. How pleased I would be to follow you, to travel with you who are
always in my thoughts.
You wish me all kinds of luck, but forget that in the absence of a beloved one a
tender heart cannot feel happy.
A thousand things serve to distract your mind, my friend; but in my case, I am
sad, lonely, always alone with my thoughts -- nothing, absolutely nothing relieves my
sorrow. Are you coming back? That's what I want and desire most ardently -- you
cannot refuse me.
I do not despair and I limit myself to murmuring against time which runs so fast
when it carries us toward a separation, but goes so slowly when it's bringing us together
again.
I feel very unhappy thinking that perhaps I might never see you again.
Goodbye! You know with one word you can make me very happy. Aren't you
going to write to me?"
 7) Eight Love: Nellie Boustead (1891)
In 1891, Rizal took a vacation in Biarritz in
order to find reprieve from his troubles in Madrid. He
was a guest of the Boustead family in their winter
residence, Villa Eliada. Mr. and Mrs. Boustead had
two beautiful daughters, Adelina and Nellie. After
having lamented his frustrated romance with Leonor
Rivera on account of the lady's engagement to
another man, Rizal came to develop considerable
affection for Nellie, the prettier and younger daughter
of Mr. Eduardo Boustead. He found her to be
intelligent, morally upright, and full of life. Rizal wrote
to his closest friends about his intention to marry her.
Rizal's friends were delighted to hear that he had
found a suitable girl whom he at last wished to settle
down with. Even Antonio Luna, who had previously
loved Nellie, encouraged Rizal to court her and ask
for her hand in marriage. With all the
encouragement from the friends he held dear, Rizal wooed Nellie (also called Nelly)
who, in turn, returned his affections.
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons: first, Nellie demanded that he
give up his Catholic faith and convert to Protestantism, which was her religion. Rizal did
not like this idea. Second, Nelly's mother did not approve of Rizal, as she had no
desire to entrust her daughter to a man who was wanting in wealth and persecuted in
his own country. In spite of the circumstances, Rizal and Nellie parted as good friends.