diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

eminent Egyptologist [Champollion]." This leads us to believe the nationalhero at least read a published copy of Morayta's inaugural lecture.There is no doubt that Morayta exercised a tremendous influence on theyoung Rizal, both through his teaching and his writings. However, the signsof this influence are only indirectly to be seen in the Noli. Besides the lectureson history attended by his disciple, Morayta could also obviously suggestother authors to be read and even offer to the university student from thePhilippines some reading material which otherwise would have been hard forthe latter to obtain. This would be true, for example, of La Reforma, anewspaper frequently and quite passionately dedicated to Philippine affairs.Let us now see some of the evidence.Vicente Barrantes published in El Imparcial towards the end of 1868 twoletters on matters concerning the Philippines. Besides showing aconsiderable dose of partiality towards the regular clergy, he adds in theseletters several negative conclusions about the level of education of the peopleand the competence and moral integrity of the native clergy. Barrantes wasimmediately and totally refuted by the contemporary liberal press, butespecially by La Reforma, which published various articles by Rafael GarciaLopez, former Governor of Cagayan. This matter, which is of greatimportance to know the political atmosphere pervading Europe and thePhilippines during the years immediately preceding the Cavite mutiny of1872, we shall discuss in another place. For now we are concerned about thepossible influence the reading of this newspaper could have exercised on theplanning and actual writing of Rizal's novel.On 4 August 1869, an unsigned article in La Reforma appeareddiscussing Philippine affairs, addressed to the Overseas Minister, DonManuel Becerra. Occasioned by the latter's program-order of 23 July of thesame year which had been sent to the Governor General of the Philippines,the unknown author launches into a virulent attack of the religious orders andVicente Barrantes. The pertinent details are, among others, as follows:It does not surprise us that Mr. Becerra's good will and rectitude has committedthe same vulgar error of ignorance and malicious scheming of not a few with-regards to the Nall me tangere and frailocracy in the Philippines. The cohort ofexploiters of the Vatican ... .123106