Will travel with Smith to London if he intends to attend Linnean Society meeting of 1 March. Hopes Smith is not amongst those citizens of Norwich speculating in "rail-roads, gas companies &c". Has noticed promotion of horticultural societies, particularly one in Brighton, of which [Thomas Andrew] Knight and Joseph Sabine are to be made Honorary Members. His son and family at Pisa, doubts Mrs Cullum will ever see England again having gained no benefit from the waters of Barèges, [France], Sorrento, and Ischia, [Italy], though they intend to return home this summer.

Invites Smith to visit this month before going down to London together. Will subscribe to [Alexander] Macleay's portrait.

Asks after Smith's recent movements and activities, including "Flora Britannica". A mild winter allowed him to gather flowering 'Vinca minor' three miles from Bury. Sends his respects to Dr [George] Shaw and [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert. Asks if Smith has heard from [Richard] Relhan, whose affairs are "deranged" in spite of a £700 subscription. Asks if new editions of [William] Withering's "Botanical Arrangement" and "Hortus Kewensis" are to appear. Will pay his lapsed Linnean Society subscription before next anniversary meeting. Asks for a copy of Sir George Staunton's "Embassy to China" to be reserved for him at White's; missed the first edition of [James] Cook's last voyage through failing to do this. A spare room always available at his house for friends.

Addition at head of recto of first folio states he fears a letter to [James] Sowerby requesting all previous numbers of his "Cryptogamia" has been lost.

Proposes accompanying Smith to London via Bury for Horticultural Society and Linnean Club meetings, and if not suitable invites him to Bury in May. Notes that in [Thaddeus Mason] Harris' [(1768-1842), American clergyman] "Natural History of the Bible" Smith is quoted as naming the "lilies of the field" 'Amaryllis lutea'. Wonders if he can find 'Ophrys aranifera' for the lack of rain; has previously found it in flower the last day of March, and expects to hear the cuckoo in a week to ten days.

Professor [Thomas] Martyn ill with a cancer in his mouth and on his face but refuses to seek medical advice. Doubts his ill daughter-in-law will derive any benefit from trying the baths at Aix-la-Chapelle, [Germany], and wishes they would return to England so she could try Mahomed's vapour bath and shampooing in Brighton, [Sussex]. Intends to spend July and August in Leamington near Warwick, and Cheltenham, [Gloucestershire]. Invites Smith to visit in June.

Heard that Smith's bad health forced him to abandon his Bristol lectures. Lady Cullum alarmingly ill with spasms of the thorax and abdomen: camphor, opium, and [ether] have gave little relief but small doses of calomel and castor oil helped, and she is now convalescing though her appetite is suppressed by an intermittent fever. On journey to Cheltenham could only briefly stop at Oxford to use stables and coach house of Dr [Martin] Routh [(1755-1854)], Master of Magdalen College, as it was race week.

Transcribes brief extract of letter from General [Thomas] Hardwicke on improvement of his health. Implores Smith not to overwork himself on "English Flora" and to forget "every thing unpleasant that passed at Cambridge" [Smith's campaign for botany professorship]. His son at Aix-la-Chapelle, [Germany], or Brussels, [Netherlands], his daughter-in-law's poor health the same despite trying so many celebrated baths in Europe.

Lady Cullum's fever now in her eyes and ears. Visited [Edward] Rudge's new house in Evesham, [Worcestershire]. His son back in England but daughter-in-law is to winter in Paris as she is too ill to travel. Met at Kimbolton, [Cambridgeshire], the late Professor [Thomas] Martyn's son, [John King Martyn], who preaches there every Sunday to a sect of Moravians and is soon to marry one of them as his fourth wife, and recounts connection between the Martyns and the Mudges who succeeded as rectors of Pertenhall, [Bedfordshire].

Reports that many members of Cambridge are dissatisfied by the election of [John Stevens] Henslow [(1796-1861)] to the Botanical Professorship. Invites Smith to Bury.

Looking forward to Smith's visit. Thanks for third volume of "English Flora"; wonders how many sheets of paper it took Smith considering [Thomas] Martyn wrote 20,000 sheets in compiling [Philip] Miller's "Gardener's Dictionary", hopes he is not overworking himself to finish it. Compliments to [Thomas Furly] and [Edward] Forster.

Wishes he could be in London to dine with friends at the Free Masons and Thatched House Tavern. Received visit from eldest son of [Thomas Andrew] Knight and on remarking on the valuable property [Richard] Payne Knight [(1750-1824), classicist] left to the British Museum received reply that his father and family had been left enough to satisfy all. Hopes the "alarming bankruptcies" are not affecting any of their friends, particularly the Forsters, though concerned the failure of Sir Peter Pole's [2nd baronet (1770-1850)] banking house has affected [Edward] Rudge as their families recently intermarried. Dawson Turner is being consulted regarding auction of [Sir Thomas] Gage's library and collection of plants and drawings, including boxes of plants from India never examined; wishes Smith could examine some of Gage's cryptogamia drawings. Dr [John] Sims intends to decline superintendence of the "Botanical Magazine". Observed 'Primula chinensis' in a lady's parlour, it seems to be 'Primula praenitens' of "Botanical Register" vol 7 plate 539.

Remarks on death of Bishop of Durham [Shute Barrington]: reread Smith's Dedication to him several times, his second wife [Jane Barrington] thinks it remarkable he underwent a lithotomy operation at thirteen years old. Will be in London for Horticultural Society and Linnean Club meetings.

Received visit from General [Thomas] Hardwicke. Advises Smith not to hurry [Francis Leggatt] Chantrey [(1781-1841), sculptor], though wishes Smith was being painted rather than sculpted. Details of coaches coming to Bury from London in anticipation of Smith's visit.

His son and family have returned from Paris but daughter-in-law still very ill despite having tried all the celebrated baths on the continent; they plan to leave again in autumn without trying Mahomed's steam baths in Brighton, [Sussex]. Plans to visit Ramsgate, [Kent]. Invites Smith to Bury on his return from London.