112

Museum, by John Smith and Christopher Jackson. 189 Very
little has come to light concerning John Smith: through
an advertisement on December 31, 1796, in which those
gentlemen who wished to forward the construction of a
private theatre were invited to leave their names,
among other places, at "Smith's print shop, Philpot's
hill"¹³⁰ it is probable that a Mr. Smith was printing
in Baltimore in 1796, although no imprints from his
press have survived.

The Weekly Museum looked much more like a magazine
than a newspaper, but since it carried news it has
generally been classified as the latter. In addition,
it contained extracts from literary works, articles,
city ordinances, poetry, anecdotes, and a very few ad-
vertisements. Perhaps its appearance was responsible
for its comparative success, for the Monitor was frank-
ly a newspaper, and smacked too much of secularism for
the populace of the 1790's. The Museum resembled a
magazine, and contained articles with a religious
flavor; to which facts some of the reasons for its ac-
ceptance can bo traced.

The issue of April 9 is the last which carries
Smith's name in the imprint. Prom April 16 until May
28, the latest issue which has been located, Jackson

129 Lee, A, McC. The daily newspaper in America,
p, 377-378.

130 Maryland journal. December 31, 1796.