Page 15 of 172 MEMOIR OF EDGAR ALLAN POE. - Complete Poetical Works

During his calmer moments Poe exerted all his efforts to proceed with his literary labors. He continued to contribute to 'Graham's Magazine,' the proprietor of which periodical remained his friend to the end of his life, and also to some other leading publications of Philadelphia and New York. A suggestion having been made to him by N. P. Willis, of the latter city, he determined to once more wander back to it, as he found it impossible to live upon his literary earnings where he was.

Accordingly, about the middle of 1845, Poe removed to New York, and shortly afterwards was engaged by Willis and his partner Morris as sub-editor on the 'Evening Mirror'. He was, says Willis,

"employed by us for several months as critic and subeditor.... He

resided with his wife and mother at Fordham, a few miles out of town,

but was at his desk in the office from nine in the morning till the

evening paper went to press. With the highest admiration for his

genius, and a willingness to let it atone for more than ordinary

irregularity, we were led by common report to expect a very capricious

attention to his duties, and occasionally a scene of violence and

difficulty. Time went on, however, and he was invariably punctual and

industrious. With his pale, beautiful, and intellectual face, as a

reminder of what genius was in him, it was impossible, of course, not

to treat him always with deferential courtsey.... With a prospect of

taking the lead in another periodical, he at last voluntarily gave up

his employment with us."

A few weeks before Poe relinquished his laborious and ill-paid work on the 'Evening Mirror', his marvellous poem of "The Raven" was published. The effect was magical. Never before, nor, indeed, ever since, has a single short poem produced such a great and immediate enthusiasm. It did more to render its author famous than all his other writings put together. It made him the literary lion of the season; called into existence innumerable parodies; was translated into various languages, and, indeed, created quite a literature of its own. Poe was naturally delighted with the success his poem had attained, and from time to time read it in his musical manner in public halls or at literary receptions. Nevertheless he affected to regard it as a work of art only, and wrote his essay entitled the "Philosophy of Composition," to prove that it was merely a mechanical production made in accordance with certain set rules.

Although our poet's reputation was now well established, he found it still a difficult matter to live by his pen. Even when in good health, he wrote slowly and with fastidious care, and when his work was done had great difficulty in getting publishers to accept it. Since his death it has been proved that many months often elapsed before he could get either his most admired poems or tales published.

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