He entered a house of business at Liverpool and visited the West Indies on mercantile affairs, but soon deserted commerce and devoted himself to literature.
Some of these were biographical, and the remainder took the form of narrative fiction based on historical facts illustrative of different periods of English history.
Edgar was especially familiar with early English and Scottish history, and possessed a wide knowledge of border tradition.
In the intervals of his other work Edgar found time to contribute political articles, written from a strongly conservative point of view, to the London press.
Under his close and continuous application to work his health broke down, and he suffered what was termed "congestion of the brain" and died shortly afterwards, on 22 April 1864.