! University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Mexico. He did not work on these novels until arriving in
Mexico City and Rafael Reyes Spindola, his companion in law
school in Oaxaca, reminded him of the project. Through his
persuasion, Rabasa began writing, and in 1887 his first two
novels were published.
They were titled La bola and La gran ciencia. La
bola deals with one of the many typical uprisings that had
happened during the struggle for political stability, and
how ignorant men rose to prominence during these revolts.
La gran ciencia transfers the main characters to the pro­
vincial capital, and Rabasa explores the political
administration of the governor.
The success of the novels was immediate and surpris­
ing to Emilio who had feared the reaction: "me conformaba
32
con que no me llamaran bruto." A second edition of each of
these novels was published in 1888, the same year that he
published the two novels that finished the series. El cuarto
poder was a thorough examination of professional journalism
and its influence on politics, and conversely political
influence on newspapers. The characters are the same as in
the two previous novels except that they are now situated
in the capital. The last novel, Moneda falsa, told of the
fall of these same people, who were as false as counterfeit
money. The novels are a faithful and satirical portrayal
32t, . , 1
Ibid., 1.
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