diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

hatred of the blind and the ignorant. In his final resume Blumentritt does nothesitate to proclaim:If I may express my opinion on the Noli me tangere, I shall state frankly that Iconsider it the greatest literary work written by any man in the Philippines, and Iam happy to say that I am not alone in this opinion. The literature of thePhilippines does not include any novel showing so ardent a love of country as theNoli me tangere written with the heart's blood of a patriot, who harbours nohatred for Spain but a righteous abhorrence for him who abuses selfishly andscandalously the powers conferred on him by the state or the church.16 ,Blumentritt's spirited defense of the Noli assumed for him, seen inhistorical perspective, the significance of the beginning of a new chapter inhis life. Never before hid he publicly taken a stand with such passion andforce of conviction. Regardless of the dangers and difficulties to his ownposition, Blumentritt took his place beside Rizal and those Filipinosstruggling for the liberation of their homeland. He would remain there evenafter the death of his friend, after the revolution and the Malolos Republic andthe fateful war until the end of his life.It is indeed a rare case of the total immersion of a foreigner in the nationalstruggle of another country.239