Suitable for Smith and his friend to visit on Tuesday, hopes they will also go to Bulstrode [Park, Buckinghamshire, home of Duke of Portland]. Will manage herself the arrangements for Governor [Arthur] Phillip [(1738-1814), first governer of New South Wales] to visit.
Her Sierra Leone bulbs are now in flower and invites Smith and [Jonas] Dryander to inspect them and [James] Sowerby to draw them. She has been extremely ill but is now recovering.
Unsure if the packet of dried plants he sent Smith March [1804] has reached England yet. Sending another small collection of plants, and if and when he is settled as a missionary here he will send for his herbarium and be more forthcoming with specimens. Sending drawing and description [both extant] of 'Polyandria' ['Magnoliaceae'], the drawing is by [Elizabeth Gwillim (1763-1807)], wife of Sir Henry Gwillim, Justice of the Supreme Court of Jurisdiction at Madras; Lady Gwillim says she has sent a living plant to England. Sorry Smith's parcel to him of 1802 was lost.
Description of 'Polyandria enneagynia' [see RelatedMaterial below for drawing].
Sends specimens of 'Lagerstroemia' and 'Tamarindus'. Sorry Smith was away when four or five of her Sierra Leone bulbs came into flower; no one scientific saw them but [James] Sowerby took drawing and she hopes it can be ascertained whether they are 'Hamanthus' or 'Amaryllis', and if Sowerby can replicate the brilliant colour may be worth place in Smith's large work ["Icones pictae plantarum rariorum..."]. Recovered from her inflammatory fever and bilious complaints caused by intense hot weather, her family and labourers suffered the same.
Condolences on death of Smith's brother. Invites Smith and the Sierra Leone travellers [Adam Afzelius and François Borone] to visit when suitable. Another of her Sierra Leone bulbs is flowering. Sending Smith a "little pig" from her farm.
Offers her Westminster Hospital proxy to Smith's preferred candidate; her first consideration is to give it "for a person thoroughly qualified for the office". Her stomach complaints have been bad since visit by Smith and the [Harvey] Spraggs' but she is now taking a draught prescribed by Dr Freeman and hopes it will clear the "billious sort of obstruction". Sorry to hear that [Adam] Afzelius is returning to Africa but hopes it will advantageous for him, will send him dimensions of the matts she wanted made.
Filled in her Westminster Hospital proxy for Smith's candidate just before Mrs [Elizabeth] Weddell and [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl] Fitzwilliam [(1748-1833)] both solicited it for Mr Moore. Sent Smith flower of 'Malpighia'.
Sends small specimen of new East India plant in flower, from seed, not like any 'Monandria' plant that Grieg, her gardener, has seen.
[Smith annotation: "'Lopezia'"]
Hopes his pamphlet "Cautions to young sportsmen" is widely circulated and prevents accidents; only criticism received is that it is too short, the gunmakers Manton in Dover Street and Joseph Manton in Davies Street make no objections in spite of its attack on double guns, which form greater part of their profits. Will put his name to a second edition if the 750 copies sell and regrets not already doing so. Criticises fashion for books to include engraving of the author and mocks Charles Small Pybus' [(1766-1810), politician] poem "The Sovereign" supposing "he expects some of the Russian Court Ladies to send for him [...] in consequence of the beauty of his appearance, at the head of his verses".
Page's book printed for Scutcherd & Whitaker, details of Norwich printing.
Confirms that her health has been bad since Smith's last visit but implores him and his three friends to still visit. Grieg, her gardener, has been confined for five weeks after injuring his leg climbing over a gate but has escaped fever and mortification. Her botanical zeal low recently. Prefers eating 'Convolvulus batatas' [sweet potato] to potatoes.
Apologises but will be too ill to receive Smith and his two friends on Saturday, though they should still visit on their way to Bulstrode [Park, Buckinghamshire, home of Duke of Portland]. Warns Smith that her garden is not currently looking its best.
Acknowledges Smith's postponement of his visit on account of her ill-health and hopes the next time he visits the [Harvey] Spraggs will be of the party. Grieg, her gardener, disappointed Smith did not come as he had got the plants in best order possible. Will send seeds.
Her "very uncomfortable state of health" has caused her to neglect her friends but hopes to see Smith soon. Asked [John] White [(1757-1832), surgeon in New South Wales] to convey her regret at Smith's intention to move to Norwich, [Norfolk], and invites him to visit before he does so, though also accidently invited White when she would prefer Smith's conversation "without the company of a stranger". Belatedly congratulates Smith on his marriage.
[This letter is marked "Duplicate", sent with Rottler's letter of 15 October 1807, see RelatedMaterial below]
He has only just received Smith's letter of 30 April 1800 and his "Specimen of the botany of New Holland", which he had long given up ever receiving. Encloses duplicate of his letter of [14] October [1806], which accompanied a parcel of plants. Received [Nathaniel] Kindersley's letter of 1 May 1806, will reply when chest of books for female asylum arrives.
[Label attached to letter:] "'Tetracera sarmentosa' 83) Vahl Delima Lin.".
Disappointed not to see Smith before he left, especially as was in Windsor, [Berkshire]. Thanks Mrs Smith for Norfolk cakes and requests the recipe. Returns copies of Smith's "Spicilegium [botanicum]" and "[Icones] pictae [plantarum rarorium]" and requests others, and sends a Sierra Leone 'Amarylis' to be drawn by [James] Sowerby, requests the name. An exchange of fasciculi with set of late [Harvey] Spragg's.
Enquires after [John] White [(1757-1832), surgeon in New South Wales], Mrs [Elizabeth] Weddell reports that he "had got what he wished" although not sure what that is other than it being "ten shillings a day". Imagines White saw a lamentable scene at Portsmouth, [Hampshire]; she fears "all things are growing worse & worse". Wishes to subscribe to the work Smith mentioned.
Thanks for Smith's "rich cargo" of Norwich biscuits; uses them medicinally when she has a dry mouth and throat in the night. Smith's visit to Wales must have been "truly gratifying" on account of "being the means of restoring health to a beloved Daughter of a beloved Friend" [Mariamne Johnes, daughter of Thomas Johnes]. Invites Smith to visit on his return journey and details of the roads from Bath, [Somerset].
Apologises for not being able to send recipe for "those little cream cheeses". Her health better recently and freer from "those billious pains & sensations that are so tormenting both to the body & the mind".
Asks Smith's opinion of [Nikolaus von] Jacquin's new book ["Plantarum rariorum Horti Caesarei Schoenbrunnensis"] as whilst she is tempted by "so many beautiful lillys [sic]", price of 30 guineas for two volumes is "enormous" and whether he thinks it will be Jacquin's last work, in which case she would purchase it. Requests fresh supply of Smith's Norfolk buns as they check the spasmodic wind in her chest. Suffering from the extreme hot weather but her eyelids and incessant tear in her eye are better after Mr Phipps' application.
[Smith annotation: "I have only seen some plates of Jacquin's work, but I think you sh'd have it"]
Hopes Smith's health is as good as the last time she saw him. Sends gift of two Mortlock china tea-cups with Vatican borders, similar to those he admired of hers. Thanks for packet of seeds and box of biscuits. Her health varying but stomach complaints less severe.
Congratulates Smith that Admiral [Horatio] Nelson [(1758-1805)] is his countryman. Requests another box of biscuits.
Pleased by Smith's intention to visit her on his way to Oxford. She has been so ill with a painful arm that she recently cancelled a visit from [William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl] Fitzwilliam [(1748-1833)] and Lady Fitzwilliam.
Thanks for turkey and biscuits, which her ill-health prevented her from acknowledging sooner. Offers Smith a stuffed bird of paradise for his collection; she received it with a living parakeet from Bombay and its plumage is as though it died yesterday. Ashamed to put Smith's household to the expense and trouble of satisfying her demand for biscuits and ideally would like a box quarterly but her finances constrained "since Mr [William] Pitt [the Younger (1759-1806), prime minister] has been pleas'd to take £500 a year" from her income.
Comments that Smith's 'Agapanthus' which bore the winter and flourished in a border "must have been very pleasant", and wishes Smith could persuade Grieg, her gardener, to make similar experiments at Hillingdon. 'Amarylis radiata' in flower in her room which she thinks worthy of being drawn; [James] Sowerby does not recall her sending him a flower and leaf of it two years ago.
Curious to know whether Smith's sister is married to his young companion he brought to visit last year. Sending the bird in a box soon.