Francisco Ferrer; his life, work and martyrdom, with message written ...

20 Francisco Ferrer, t
Nakens the translating and publishing of the work in
Spanish. The first copy of the work, when received
from Madrid, was intended for his pupil, already less
fanatic than before, but far from being immune from
the influence of bigotry, even after reading such a
book. This was proved when, a few days afterwards,
he received a letter reproaching him for his
gift, and terminating his engagement. Shortly afterwards,
however, she resumed her lessons, but requested
that religion should be tabooed. To this condition
he acceded; but (Ferrer adds) "few lessons
were given without the disputatious question presenting
itself again on the tapis."
At that time, as we shall see later on, Ferrer was a
convinced Dreyfusard, active in defending the cause of
this earlier victim of the Church. As he says : "I lost
pupils, and created enmities. But was there a house
where fathers and sons and brothers were not in conflict"
He finally conquered not only Mademoiselle Meuner's
hatred of Dreyfus, but most of her lifelong convictions
as to religion, except that "from fear" she was unable to
relinquish the idea of the world beyond the grave, the
other life, the soul, and God.
Shortly after this change occurred she wished to pay a
visit to Spain in Ferrer's company. With another lady
serving as travelling companion, the three were soon en
route for Barcelona, Madrid, Andalucia, etc. The lessons
between pupil and professor continued, and so year after
year did the pleasure trips during the vacations. We
learn that they went once to Portugal and once to England.
The final journey was to Italy and Spain, where,
on August 24, 1900, he told her that he had no desire to
continue living this selfish kind of life, with no higher
aim than that of giving mutual satisfaction, "there being
so much to do for the benefit of ignorant and suffering
humanity. She quite concurred, and offered to do whatever
might be proposed."
AT THE CRADLE OF THE ESCUELA MODERNA.
It appears that during these travelling days he had
expounded to her his plan of "education based solely on
the natural sciences, by means of which the true origin
of all things may be explained to the child and the young