Three hundred dollars of this sum I had already laid aside, when an article in the New York 'Mirror,' of the 16th October, determined me at once to commence the refunding of the sums received." What the substance of the article in the "Mirror" was, I do not know, but it was probably one of those scurrilous and defamatory attacks, from many of which he suffered in common with other persons of prominence, and which was called forth, perhaps, by his activity in the politics of the day.
That I have not exaggerated in saying that he was almost on the verge of starvation during these dark years is evidenced by the following word picture from the pen of General Strother, of Virginia, known in the world of literature under the pen name of "Porte Crayon":-- "I engaged to become Morse's pupil, and subsequently went to New York and found him in a room in University Place.

He had three other pupils, and I soon found that our professor had very little patronage.

I paid my fifty dollars that settled for one quarter's instruction.

Morse was a faithful teacher, and took as much interest in our progress--more indeed than--we did ourselves.

But he was very poor.