The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

CHAPTER LIII 243
other tendencies, they capitulate, preferring to follow rather than to be crushed or left alone among the
shadows by the wayside. Well now, we in the Philippines are moving along at least three centuries behind the
car of progress; we are barely beginning to emerge from the Middle Ages. Hence the Jesuits, who are
reactionary in Europe, when seen from our point of view, represent progress. To them the Philippines owes
her dawning system of instruction in the natural sciences, the soul of the nineteenth century, as she owed to
the Dominicans scholasticism, already dead in spite of Leo XIII, for there is no Pope who can revive what
common sense has judged and condemned.
"But where are we getting to?" he asked with a change of tone. "Ah, we were speaking of the present
condition of the Philippines. Yes, we are now entering upon a period of strife, or rather, I should say that you
are, for my generation belongs to the night, we are passing away. This strife is between the past, which seizes
and strives with curses to cling to the tottering feudal castle, and the future, whose song of triumph may be
heard from afar amid the splendors of the coming dawn, bringing the message of Good-News from other
lands. Who will fall and be buried in the moldering ruins?"
The old man paused. Noticing that Don Filipo was gazing at him thoughtfully, he said with a smile, "I can
almost guess what you are thinking."
"Really?"
"You are thinking of how easily I may be mistaken," was the answer with a sad smile. "Today I am feverish,
and I am not infallible: homo sum et nihil humani a me alienum puto, [141] said Terence, and if at any time
one is allowed to dream, why not dream pleasantly in the last hours of life? And after all, I have lived only in
dreams! You are right, it is a dream! Our youths think only of love affairs and dissipations; they expend more
time and work harder to deceive and dishonor a maiden than in thinking about the welfare of their country;
our women, in order to care for the house and family of God, neglect their own: our men are active only in
vice and heroic only in shame; childhood develops amid ignorance and routine, youth lives its best years
without ideals, and a sterile manhood serves only as an example for corrupting youth. Gladly do I die!
Claudite iam rivos, pueri!" [142]
"Don't you want some medicine?" asked Don Filipo in order to change the course of the conversation, which
had darkened the old man's face.
"The dying need no medicines; you who remain need them. Tell Don Crisostomo to come and see me
tomorrow, for I have some important things to say to him. In a few days I am going away. The Philippines is
in darkness!"
After a few moments more of talk, Don Filipo left the sick man's house, grave and thoughtful.