202

endeavor, by something more than wishes, to
support it ami improve it.¹⁶

there was apparently insufficient encouragement
to suable the printer to buy new types; but Cowan kept
on, and published the paper regularly, although he
sometimes had difficulty in obtaining paper, and there-
fore issued smaller sheets. He enlarged the scope of
his activities by offering books for sale;¹⁷ and by
publishing a pamphlet himself s John Beale Bordley's
Sketches on the Rotation of Crops¹⁸ which, judging
from the type, he had printed elsewhere, and which
he sold for twenty-five cents;¹⁹ and on February 15,
1792, secured an appointment as postmaster.²⁰

Cowan undoubtedly enlarged the scope of his busi-
ness by printing handbills and blank forms, as did
the other printers of his day, but only two handbills
have survived.²¹ Many productions of his press must
have been lost - they were probably of an ephemeral
nature and were soon discarded - at least they were
numerous enough to justify an advertisement in the
Maryland Herald of May 27, 1792, to the effect that

16 Maryland herald, (Easton) May 17, 1791.

17 Ibid. May 15, December 4, 1792, etc.

18 Appendix 1. Imprint bibliography, item 54.
19 Mainland herald. (Eastern) September 8, 1792.
20 Information from Post-Office department.
21 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, items 13
and 65.