a July 1931 interview, stated that "the finest treatise on composition, in my opinion, and the one which in any case had the greatest influence upon me was [Poe's] "Philosophy of Composition... I am convinced that Poe indeed wrote his poem "The Raven" in the way that he indicated." Charles Baudelaire believed that the "unity of impression, the totality of effect" described by Poe endowed a composition with "a very special superiority." Publication history George Rex Graham, a friend and former employer of Poe, declined Poe's offer to be the first to print "The Raven". Graham said he did not like the poem but offered $15 as a charity. Graham made up for his poor decision by publishing "The Philosophy of Composition" in the April 1846 issue of Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature and Art. See also Composition Poe's "Poetic Principle" References External links "The Philosophy of Composition" – Full text of the first printing, from Graham's Magazine, 1846 Edgar Allan Poe. "The Philosophy of Composition" (full text online). Essays by Edgar Allan Poe Essays in literary theory 1846 essays Works originally published in Graham's Magazine