Lolo recounted in his memoirs that soon after the Noli was published, Rizal gave him the carefully rolled galley proofs, in the center of which he placed the pen, or one of the pens, he had used to write his magnum opus. The manuscripts were wrapped well in paper and contained an autographed dedication which read: “To my dear friend Maximo Viola, the first who read and appreciated my work – Berlin, 1887 – Jose Rizal”. Unfortunately, by his own account, Lolo lost these priceless souvenirs during the Revolution of 1896, (which, by my father’s account, had been hidden in a kamalig or rice warehouse that the Spaniards torched to the ground).
Si Pepe, masipag: Nang ipunin ng José Rizal National Centennial Commission (JRNCC) ang lahat ng isinulat ni Rizal para sa sentenaryo ng kanyang kapanganakan 50 taon na ang nakalilipas, umabot ito ng 24 tomo! Ang seryeng Escritos de José Rizal ay nahahati sa mga gunita; mga sulat sa pamilya, kay Prop. Ferdinand Blumentritt, mga Propagandista (Tagapagpalaganap) at iba pa; mga prosa (tuluyan) at tula; mga nobela at aklat; mga sulating pulitikal at historikal; at iba pang mga sulatin.