Jose. His father, Don Jose Dominguez Becquer, was a well-known Seville
genre painter. He died when Gustavo was but a child of five, too young
to be taught the principles of his art; but he nevertheless bequeathed
to him the artistic temperament that was so dominant a trait in the
poet's genius. Becquer's mother, Doña Joaquina, survived his father
but a short time, and left her children orphaned while they were yet
very young. Gustavo was but nine and a half years old at the time of
his mother's death. Fortunately an old and childless uncle, D. Juan
Vargas, took charge of the motherless boys until they could find homes
or employment.

[Footnote 1: The following is a copy of his baptismal record:

"En jueves 25 de Febrero de 1836 años D. Antonio Rodriguez Arenas
Pbro. con licencia del infrascrito Cura de la Parroquial de Sn.
Lorenzo de Sevilla: bautizó solemnemente á Gustavo Adolfo que nació
en 17 de dicho mes y año hijo de José Dominguez Vequer (_sic_) y
Doña Juaquina (_sic_) Bastida su legitima mujer. Fué su madrina Doña
Manuela Monchay vecina de la collación de Sn. Miguel á la que se
advirtió el parentesco espiritual y obligaciones y para verdad lo
firmé.--Antonio Lucena Cura." See La _Illustración Artística_,
Barcelona, December 27, 1886, pp. 363-366. Citations from this
periodical will hereafter refer to the issue of this date.]

Gustavo Adolfo received his first instruction at the College of San
Antonio Abad. After the loss of his mother his uncle procured for him
admission to the College of San Telmo, a training school for
navigators, situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir in the edifice
that later became the palace of the Dukes of Montpensier. This
establishment had been founded in 1681 in the ancient suburb of