118

Weems, a Protestant Episcopal clergyman with a
bent for travel, went directly from his charge over
the Westminster Parish in Anne Arundel County, Mary-
land, into the book selling business about September
1792. He had attended the convention of the Diocese
of Maryland in June of that year, and at that time ob-
tained many subscriptions to a tract which he had
lately published.¹² It is likely that the tract in
question was Hussel's Sermons, which certainly at
that time was "lately published." At the conference,
he also vended a pamphlet with the title Onania;¹³
and was obtaining subscriptions to other books, doubt-
less including Hugh Blair's Sermons, printed by Samuel
and John Adams in 1792 and 1793.¹⁴

It is interesting to notice the connection of
some of Weems' roost important publications with
Maryland printing. The books which he caused to be
published were printed for the most part in Phila-
delphia, but some were issued be the cresses of
Wilmington, Georgetown, Richmond, and other cities.
His first undertaking, Russel's Sermons, was issued
by the Adams' Baltimore press, the first edition of
his life of Washington was published on February
22, 1800, by George Keatinge of Baltimore;¹⁵

12 troth, L.C.. Parson Weems. p. 36.

13 Weems, M.L. Mason Locke Weems, his works and
ways, v. 1, p. 259.

14 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, items 53
and 110.

15 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, item 634,