Rizal lived in London from May 1888 to March 1889. He stayed to improve his English, study Philippine history at the British Museum, and continue his fight against Spanish rule through his writings. He annotated Morga's book on Philippine history and wrote many articles for La Solidaridad. Rizal also befriended the Beckett family but had to leave due to his growing romantic feelings for Gertrude Beckett while still being committed to Leonor Rivera.

1. CHAPTER 15
Life and Works
in London
(1888-89)

2. ‚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

3. “Lived in London May 1888 to March 1889
“3 reasons why he stayed there:
 To improve his knowledge of the English
Language
 To study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de
Las Islas Filipinas
 London was a safe place for him to
carry on his fight against Spanish Tyranny
“engaged deeply in Filipiniana studies
“Completed annotating Morga’s books
“Wrote many articles in La Solidaridad
“Penned Young Women of Malolos
“carried his voluminous correspondence with
Blumentritt & other friends ad relatives

4. Trip Across the Atlantic
“Made friends in
his
Atlantic voyage
“The American and
European
passengers were amused of his marvelous
skill in using yo-yo (a small wooden disc attached to a
string from a finger) as a weapon.
“Had a chat with news-
papermen but became
disappointed
“Arrived on Liverpool

5. Life in London
“Went to London May 25, 1888
“Stayed as a guest at Dr.
Antonio Ma. Regidor’s home
“Became a boarder at the
Beckett’s by the end of
May
“Was called ‚A Pearl of
A Man‛ (una
perla de
hombre) by Dr. Reinhold
Rost
“Played Cricket and

6. According to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt, the
noted Filipinologist, and Rizal’s friend, the
Spanish historian Dr. Antonio
Morga wrote Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
which was published in Mexico in 1609. Many
scholars considered this history of the
Philippines a much better and honest
description of the conditions in the country
pertaining to the Spanish conquest.
CRICKET

7. Good and Bad News from
Home
Bad News
 Persecution of the Filipino patriots
who signed the ‚Anti-friar Petition of
1888‛
 Persecution of Calamba tenants
 Furious attacks on Rizal by Senator
Salamanca and Vida in the Spanish
Cortes and by Desengaños (Wenseslao
E. Retana) and Quioquiap (Pablo Feced)
in Spanish newspapers
 Rizal’s brother-in-law, Manuel
Hidalgo was exiled in Bohol

8. Good and Bad News from
Home
Good News
The only good news was Rev. Father
Vicente Garcia’s defense of the Noli.
 Content of the letter
We young Filipinos are trying to make
over a nation and must not halt in our
onward march, but from time to time turn
our gaze upon our elders. We shall wish to
read in their contenances approval of our
actions. We are anxious to learn of the
Philippines’ past which we need to
understand in order to plan intelligently
for the future. We want to know all that

9. Annotating Morga’s
books
“his greatest achievement in
London
“Spent many days in the reading
room of the British Museum
reading Morga’s books and old
stories of the Philippines
“For Rizal Dr. Antonio de Morga’s
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas was
the best/excellent book.

10. Dr. Antonio de Morga

12. Short Visit to
Paris and Spain
“September 1888 he visited
Paris
“ he stayed here for a week to
study more
historical materials in the
Bibliotheque
Nationale
“Entertained in a gay French
Metropolis
by Juan Luna and his wife
“He returned to London

13. “Met Marcelo H. del Pilar
and
Mariano Ponce
“he first met Mariano Ponce
andMarcelo H. del Pilar
“started to be involved
officially in the Propaganda
Movement.

14. Christmas in London
“Rizal returned to London on Dec.
24, 1888 and spent his Christmas and
new year ‘s day with the
Becketts.
“ his first Christmas on English soil.
“ Rizal reflected on the true meaning
of Christmas, not as a mere holiday
but a remarkable day to remember
Christ’s birth.

15. Rizal becomes leader of
Filipinos in Europe
“Chosen to be honorary
president
“Wrote a letter of thanks
adressed to the members of
Asociacion La Solidaridad on Jan.
28, 1889
Letter content
 When defeated never surrender

16. Rizal and the La Solidaridad
paper
“Graciano Lopez
Jaena founded
La Solidaridad
on
Feb.15,1889 at Barcelona
“Marcelo H. del Pilar about
their newspaper
“Rizal congratulated Lopez
Jaena and the associates

17. Romance with Gertrude Beckett
“Gertrude Beckett
 Buxom English girl with brown
hair, blue eyes, and pinkcheeks
 Eldest of the three sisters
 She was attracted to Rizal and had
always loved to be with him.
 helped him in his painting
and sculpture
 ‚Gettie‛

18. “Although he did not
pursue his love for
Gertrude because he
was still in a
relationship with
Leonor Rivera at the
time and would not
want to be unfaithful.
 “ It was this romantic
affair that drove Rizal
to Paris in 1889, leaving
London for he could

19. Writings in London
• Other than annotating Morga’s work, Rizal
wrote a lot in London including articles in
La Solidaridad.
• La Vision del Fray Rodriguez- a counterattack on the irrational criticisms of Fray
Rodriguez on Noli.
• Under the pseudonym ‚Dimas Alang,‛ Rizal
satirically attacked Fray Rodriquez
through presenting a spirited conversation
between the friar and St. Augustine.

20. “Letter to the Women of Maloloswritten in Tagalog.
“The Malolos women pursued the
establishment of their school despite
the opposition of Fr. Felipe Garcia.
“The letter’s main points:
1) Filipino mother should teach
her children love of God, fatherland
and mankind;
2) …should be glad, like Spartan
mother to offer her sons in the

21. 3) Filipino woman should
know how to preserve her
dignity and honor;
4) …should know how she
should educate herself, aside
from retaining her good racial
values;
5) Faith is not merely
reciting long prayers and
wearing religious pictures, but
rather, it is living the real
Christian way, with good
morals and good manners.

22. • His articles: 1)Specimens of
Tagalog Folklore and 2)Two
Eastern Fables as requested
contributions from Rizal in Dr.
Rost’s Trubner’s Record.
• Specimens of Tagalog Folklore
consists of Filipino proverbs
and puzzles.
•Two Eastern Fables was

23. Writings in London
“Specimens of Tagalog
Folklore
“Two Eastern Fables
Requested by: Dr.
Rost

25. “Rizal became an
active
contributor to
the newspaper
(as ‚Laong Laan‛
and ‚Dimas

26. Adios London
• Rizal was forced to leave London
because Gertrude’s love for him has
turned serious.
• He could not take advantage of her
affection and she would not be happy
because Rizal was in love with Leonor
Rivera.
•He decided to move to Paris so she
may forget him.

27. Before leaving London, he carved
several fine sculptural works:
1.Prometheus Bound
2.The Triumph of Death over Life;
3.The Triumph of Science over Death
4.a composite carving of the heads
of the three Beckett sisters.
* Later he gave the 2nd and
the 3rd

28. Prometheus Bound

29. The Triumph of
Science over Death
(left)
Sacred Heart of
Jesus (center)
The Triumph of
Death over Life
(right)

30. In the middle of
March, 1889, Rizal
departed for Paris. He
was sad as he crossed
the English Channel for
he had many beautiful
memories of London.

31. END.
.