Rizal in Paris, France Rizal, while in Madrid, wanted to go back to the Philippines in 1884.

On November 26, 1884, he wrote a letter to his family stating: I expressed to you the desire to return there as soon as possible. Paciano was against Rizal s decision to return to the Philippines. So in a letter replied by Paciano, on January 1, 1885, I think that you should continue your studies there and end them when our resources are exhausted. Rizal went to Paris, France, in the first week of October, 1885, where he studied more about Ophthalmology. Rizal registered in the clinic of Dr. Louis Wecker. Dr. Louis Wecker was treating 50-100 patients a day and therefore, was considered as a leading ophthalmologist back then. Rizal learned a lot from him during clinic hours and mastered French, German, Italian, English, Polish, and Greek languages after clinic hours. Rizal s life in Paris was not economically good. In a letter coming from Paciano: You are very correct in saying that you are not being sent your allowance, not due to lack of will but indeed economic crisis or lack of work. In order to survive, his compatriots: Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo and the Tavera brothers helped him and wholeheartedly lent or gave him money for his daily needs. Rizal helped Juan Luna in his paintings. Rizal posed and portrayed as Chief Sikatuna of Bohol in Blood Compact . He also posted and portrayed as an Egyptian priest in The Death of Cleopatra . He also sketched The Monkey and the Turtle for Juan Luna s love, Paz Pardo de Tavera. During his stay in France, he also wrote several literary works written in French language. They were the following: y y y Marie Colombier-the Pistol of the Little Baroness-a review written by Rizal. He was amazed because he found out that a woman author can write in a manly manner. The Kite and the Hen-the prose is about the start and end of Mrs. Hen s story when she lost the ring she borrowed from Mr. Kite. The Fisherwoman and the Fish-this is a story about the conservation between a fisherwoman and a small fish. The Fisherwoman invited the fish to her house but the fish only agreed if he would touch the pink lips and white teeth of the fisherwoman. Alphonse Daudet: Tartarin Sur Les Alpes-Rizal s book review where he expressed comments to the characters Tartarin and Bompard.