RIZAL IN BRUSSELS

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

Two reasons:
1. The cost of living in Paris was very high because of the international
exposition; and,

2. The gay social life of the city hampered his literary works especially
the writing of his second novel -- El Filibusterismo.
 LIFE IN BRUSSELS

In Brussels, Rizal was busy writing his second novel which was a
continuation of Noli Me Tangere. He was never idle even for an hour.
Aside from writing its chapters, he 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 at the gymnasium at target practice
and fencing at the armory.
 RIZAL’S ARTICLES IN LA SOLIDARIDAD

- Rizal favored Lopez Jaena’s founding of La Solidaridad in order to

have an organ of the propaganda.

- Rizal used two pen names in La Solidaridad

- Dimasalang
- Laong Laan
 RIZAL’S ARTICLES IN LA SOLIDARIDAD

1. La Verdad Para Todos (The Truth for All)

2. Verdades Nuevas (New Truths)
3. Una Profanacion (A Profanation)
4. Diferencias (Differences)
s. Filipinas dentro de Clen Años (The Philippines A Century Hence
6. Ingratitudes
7. Sin Nombre (Without Name)
8. Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala (On the New
Ortography of the tagalog Language)
9. Cosas de Filipinas (Things about the Philippines)
10. Sobre la lndolencia de los Filipinos (On the Indolence of the Filipinos)
 RIZAL CRITICIZES MADRID FILIPINOS FOR GAMBLING

In Brussels, Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura
that the Filipino in Spain were destroying the good name of their
nation by gambling too much. These two compatriots in Paris urged
him to do something about it.

Accordingly, 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 for their father land's freedom.

The gambling Filipinos in Madrid were angry when the learned of

Rizal's moralizing. Thereafter, they called Rizal “Papa” (Pope) instead
of “Pepe”.
 BAD NEWS FROM HOME

Letters from home which Rizal receive in Brussels, worried him.

The Calamba agrarian trouble was getting worse. 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 refused to pay their rents.

Meanwhile, the tenants, including the Rizal family, were persecuted

and ejected from their lands.

The sad news from home depressed Rizal. His heart bled to know the
sorrowful plight of his parents, brother and brothers-in-law.
 PRESENTATION OF DEATH

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

Although he was not superstitious, he feared that he would not live

long. He was not afraid to die, but he wanted to finish his second
novel before he went to his grave.
 PRESENTATION TO GO HOME

In the phase of suffering which afflicted his family, Rizal decided to go

home. He could not stay in Brussels writing a book while his parents,
relatives, and friends in distant Philippines were in despair.

Hearing that Graciano Lopez Jaena was planning to go to Cuba, he

wrote to Ponce on July 8, 1890, opposing Graciano's plan of action. He
said that Graciano should not go to Cuba to die of yellow fever,
instead he ought to go the Philippines to allow himself to be killed in
defense of his ideals.
 ON TO MADRID INSTEAD OF HOME

Rizal did not heed the dire warnings of his friends. No threat of
danger could change his plan.

Something, however, happen that suddenly made him change his

mind. It was a letter from Paciano which related that the loss the case
against the Dominicans in Manila, but they appealed it to the
Supreme Court in Spain. Rizal wrote To M.H. Del Pilar on June 2o, 1890,
retaining the latter's services as lawyer. He was going to Madrid in
order to supervise the handling of the case.
 “TO MY MUSE” 1890

It 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 Musa. This poem lacks the exquisitry of
To The Flowers of Heidelberg and is less polished that To The Filipino
Youth, but it is passionate in feeling.
 ROMANCE WITH SUZANNE JACOBY

Two things brought some measure of cheer to the despondent Rizal

as he was preparing for his trip to Madrid.
- The summertime festival in Belgium
- His romance with Suzanne Jacoby

Rizal, together with his friend Jose Albert, arrived in Brussels, Belgium
on February 2, 1890. They stayed in a boarding house ran by the two
Jacoby sisters, Suzanne and Marie. During his six-month stay in the
city, he had a “transitory romance” with the landladies' niece named
Suzanne or “petite Suzanne.”