CHAPTER 19

El Filibusterismo Published in Ghent (1891)

When Rizal finally finished the El Filibusterismo after three years, he decided to move to
Ghent where in the printing cost was cheaper and also to escape from Suzanne which
maybe was getting on his nerves. He travelled with Jose Alejandro and they
economized their living.

The printing was on installment basis because Rizal doesn’t have much money. He did
everything he could to have the money to finish the printing of the El Filibusterismo.
Again same with the last novel, he almost destroyed the original manuscript because of
frustrations. But luckily, Rizal’s friend Valentin Ventura heard of his predicament and
offered to give a hand. He gave Rizal enough money to finish the printing. He was the
Hero of “El Fili” and Rizal was very grateful to him. Rizal thanked him and gave him the
original manuscript with Rizal’s autograph.

After the second novel, Rizal planned to have a third one. He failed with it along with
other novels he tried to write. There were so many, some even with no titles yet. Some
were in tagalog but he didn’t finish it because of the inadequacy of his knowledge in
tagalog language.
REACTION

Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a famous university in Belgium, on July 5,1891, with two
(2) reasons: (1) the cost of printing in Ghent was cheaper than in Brussels and (2) to
escape from enticing attraction of Petite Suzanne.
F. MEYER-VAN LOO PRESS, No.66 Viaaderen Street- after searching for a
printing shop with the lowest quotation, he finally found one, who was willing to print his
book on installment basis. As the printing was going on, Rizal then became desperate
because his funds were running low, although he just pawned his Jewelries and
received money from his friends, but still it wasn’t enough. But later on, Valentin
Ventura, upon learning Rizal’s predicament, immediately sent him the necessary funds,
and the printing of the Fili was resumed.
It came off the press on September 18, 1891. Rizal not forgetting the martyrdom
of Fathers Gomez Burgos and Zamora, he dedicated his second novel to them.