the necklace

LIFE AND WORKS IN LONDON, 1888-89 “I am dedicating myself night and day to certain studies ... about our country, its history, its administration ;... the very rich collection of the British Museum, a collection which cannot be found anywhere else is serving my purpose. For this reason. I will stay here for a long time.’’ -Jose Rizal After his travels in the United States, Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to March , 1889. He chose this English City to be his new home for three reasons: (1) to improve his knowledge of the English language, (2) to study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a rae copy of which he heard to be available in the British Museum, and (3) London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny. In London, he engaged in Filipiniana studies. He completed annotating Morga’s book, he wrote many articles for La Solilaridad in defends of his people against Spanish critics, he penned a famous letter to the young women of Malolos, and he carried his voluminous correspondence with Blumentritt and other friends and relatives. Trip Across the Atlantic. The trans-Atalantic voyage of Rizal from New York to Liverpool was a pleasant one. He won many friends of defferent nationalities on board the palatial City of Rome because of his friendly nature and his ability as a linguist. Truly, Rizal as linguist has a few peers in this world. He possessed the God-given talent for languages. Rizal entertained the American and European passengers with his marvelous skill with the yo-yo as a offensive weapon. The yo-yo is a small wooden disc attached to a string from the finger. It is used by Filipino children as a toy. But Rizal manipulated it as weapon of offense , to the great amazement of foreigners.
On board the steamer were some American newspapermen on their way to Europe. Rizal discussed with them the current social and political problems of mankind, and found them to be inadequate in geo-politics. He could not enjoy their companionship because they wer eintellectually inferior to him. Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England, on May 24, 1888. He stayed one day in this port city. Life in London. On May 25, 1888, a day after docking at Liverpool, Rizal went ti London. For a short time, he stayed as guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, an exile of 1872 and a practicing lawyer in London. By the end of May, he found a modest boarding place at No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill. He was a boarder of the Backett family. The becketts were Mr. Beckett, organist of St. Paul’s Church, Mrs. Backett (his wife), and three charming daughters. The oldest of Beckett sisters was Gertgrude, called “Gettie” by her friends. The Beckett home was to Rizal convieniently located. It was near the public parks and was within easy walking distance to the British Museum where he expected to do much research work. Rizal come to know Dr. Reinhold Rost, the librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an authority on Malayan languages and customs. Dr. Rost was impressed by Rizal’s learning and character, and he gladly recommended him to the authorities of the British Museum. He called Rizal “a pearl of a man” (una perla de hombre). Rizal spent much of his time in the British Museum porting over the pages of Morga’s Sucesos and other rare historical works on the Philippines. He frequently visited Dr. Regridor and discussed with him problems pertaining to Philippine affairs. He spent Sundays in the house of Dr. Rost, with whom he had many pleasant discussions on linguistics. He also played cricket (popular English game) and boxed with Dr. Rost’s sons. News from Home, Good and bad. Both good and bad news from home reached Rizal in London. Of the bad news were the injustices committed by the Spanish authorities on the Filipino people and the Rizal family. Among which were as follows: 1.Persecution of the Filipino patriots of Manila and the surrounding towns who signed the “Petition of 1888” which was presented to Don Jose Centeno, Civil Governor of Manila, on March 1, 1888. This petition was addressed to the Queen Regent of Spain. Requesting the expulsion of the friars, including Archbishop Pedro Payo (Dominican)
Of Manila. 2.the Calamba agrarian trouble of 1888 in which the tenants, including the Rizal’s were being persecuted by the hacienda management. 3.Manuel T. Hidalgo (Husband of Saturnina), Rizal’s brother-in-law, was was exiled to Bohol. 4.Another brother-in-law, Mariano Herbosa, (Husband of Lucia?) was denied Christian burial because of the malicious rumor that he had not confessed since his marriage. 5.A friend of Rizal, Laureano Viado, a medical student at the U.S.T., was imprisoned because a copy of Noli Me Tangere was found in his possession. One good news cheered Rizal, and that was Rev. Vicente Garcia’s defense of the Noli against the attacks of the friars. He heard this good news from Mariano Ponce. He was deeply gratified by the courageous action of father Garcia, a venerable Filipino canon of the Manila Cathedral.