121

most generous wages will be given.²²
A month later, in a similar advertisement, he claimed
to be "regularly bred" to the business, and indicated
that his work was equal to any importer* from Eurooe.²^

Bookbinding and stationery were not enough; on
February 2, 1794, he wrote to Matthew Carey,, prominent
Philadelphia publisher, that he had

at press here [Baltimore^ a small edition (for
children) of Robinson Crusoe and a song book
which will be the newest and best on the con-
tinent.²⁴

Unfortunately, no copy of Keatinge's Robinson Crusoe²⁵
appears to have survived. The song book may be the
Democratic Songster,²⁶ which appeared in 1794 and was
to be continued monthly; but since only one number
has been located and no advertisements for later is-
sues have been discovered, it may be presumed that
there was little demand at this time in Baltimore for
a periodical consisting of unaccompanied songs.

At first Keatinge did not follow the printing
trade; the books and pamphlets carrying his name were
"printed for George Keatinge", sometimes by Samuel
Sower, sometimes by Clayland and Dobbin, John Hayes,
or William Pechin, and (in the case of the Universal

22 Edwards's Baltimore daily advertiser. January

1, 1794.

23 Ibid. February 8, 1794.
24 Weems, M.L. op. cit. v. 1, p. 5.
25 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, item 164.
26 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, item 165.