Letter sent by Merlet de la Boulaye in Angers to Smith. The Paris bust of Linnaeus ; the Botanic Garden damaged by rebels ; exchange of desiderata ; the 'Hortus Kewensis.'

Letter sent by Merlet de la Boulaye in Angers to Smith. Introduces Baron de Rillé and requests introductions to Banks and Aiton

Discusses English 'Mentha': received 'Mentha villosa' [Hudson] "Fl[ora] Ang[lica]" from [Samuel] Goodenough which confirms that 'Mentha villosa' [Ray] "Syn[opsis methodica]" 233.1 is not the true one and is probably related to 'Mentha viridis', sends specimen to Smith and makes his own observations, asks how Linnaeus has marked it and 'Mentha verticillata' in his copy of Ray's book. Requests specimen of 'Mentha sativa'; asks if Ray's 'Mentha verticillata' is same as Linnaeus'; [John] Lightfoot found only 'Mentha gentilis' around Hackney and Peckham, encloses a Norfolk specimen of it [extant]. Lightfoot believes 'Mentha viridis' is related to 'Mentha sylvestris'. Believes botanists might be wrong to disregard the length of 'Mentha' stamina.

[On separate folio] Further observations on [William] Hudson's descriptions of 'Mentha villosa', 'M. sylvestris and 'M. rotundifolia', 'M. aquatica', 'M. gentilis', 'M. arvensis', and 'M. satvia'.

Specimen of 'Mentha gentilis', label states it is from William Sole.

Thanks for books. Introduces Onofrio Scasso, a physician who studied at Pavia University and is now in London to learn new skills. Thanks for being made ALS. Has been neglecting his natural history studies since his appointment as assistant lecturer to chair of anatomy, occupied by his father.

Introduces Mr Scassi, a young doctor and bearer of the letter, who is travelling to further his studies. [Gregory] Boraston of Oxford visited two months ago, gave him a copy of his work on hearing organs for Smith. Forced to be both author and bookseller on account of inefficient printing works.

Thanks for letter and for [Richard] Salisbury's invitation to visit Chapel Allerton, intends to take it up next year. His son has seen the botanical collection of Mr Eyre of Hassop, including the opportunity to eat the fruit of the 'Musa' or fig-banana of the West Indies, had previously seen the plant at Kew but not the fruit. At Bakewell saw [William] White Watson's collection of fossilised plants, found in mines, including the "Arundo bamboo" of the exotic 'Euphorbia' and possibly 'Dodecatheon meadia', many of the other impressions appear to be of ferns. White Watson also has a collection of petrified shells, Staunton gives his own theory on their formation. Smith's young friend "too much of a Tyro" to make much progress in Buxton's botany without a guide.

Olivier's work on 'Coleoptera'. Charles Louis L'Heritier de Brutelle likely to be elected to L'Académie Française. Civil duties.

[Jean-Baptiste] Lamarck and [Charles Louis] L'Heritier [de Brutelle]. News.

Introduces Brongniart.

Introduces Boncal.

Smith will receive a copy each of his two new works, one on miliary fever and the other entitled "Conspectus presentaneae morborum conditionis".

Smith has been elected as a foreign member of the Turin Academy. Looking forward to receiving dried plants promised by Smith.

News; gratification at election as FMLS; his researches in the Alps; preparing a new ed. of Haller's 'Hist. Stirpium'; irritability of plants; mineralogy.

Thanks for Smith's letter and the promise of an ongoing correspondence. Will try and send some Indian and Cape [of Good Hope] plants for Smith's herbarium; enclosing a catalogue of his plants for Smith to select from. Many people will be pleased Smith has the Linnaean collections as he is making them available to scientists. New edition of "Systema vegetabilium" has corrected errors in previous edition.

Studying the plants of the Cape [of Good Hope] for publication; his concerns for the work and figures. Intends to send paper "The botanical history of the genus Dillenia" for "Linnean Transactions" once he has an accurate address for Smith. Recently received Jussieu's "Ordines naturales"; thinks the genera extremely complicated; he always strives to keep natural genera together, lists examples.

Thanks for election as FMLS. Sending his paper on genus 'Dillenia' for "Linnean Transactions". Received a specimen of 'Ternstromia', a species of his 'Cleyera'. Awaiting list of Smith's plant requirements, but in meantime enclosing specimes of 'Hovenia' and other grasses. Whilst he was in Africa received specimen of 'Wachendorfia graminifolia', and brought back from Japan nuts of 'Gingko bilboa', but has been unable to obtain flowers from it.

Enquires whether Smith received two letters he sent some time ago, the first with seeds requested by Smith [this was received, letter of 18 Mar 1788], and the second introducing Father Balsamo of Siciliy [not extant] and thanking Smith for seeds of 'Caroline'. Seeds of 'Hedisarum gyrans' sent by Smith have grown but not yet flowered. Sending list of seeds picked last year [from botanic garden of Santa Maria Nuova hospital] [not extant].

Received Smith's letter and Linnean Society diploma. [Gregory] Boraston briefly visited him, has given him a copy of [Pier Antonio] Micheli's [(1679-1737)] 60 plates ["Icones plantarum submarinarum"] for Smith. Brief history of Micheli's work: it was intended for second volume with "Nova Genera", and Tozzetti's father [Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti] attempted to separate the zoophita from the plants after Micheli's death. Plans to publish the unpublished parts, may ask Smith for assitance. Also sending with Boraston his memoir on 'Lathyrus sativus', many additional observations can be made and adds that after Mr Visconti had for some time been fed a small amount of the seeds of it and lost the use of his legs. Visconti eventually died and at his dissection it was discovered he was suffering from advanced synovitis in the joints and his bones had become so soft that they could be cut with a knife.

Fears that [Gregory] Boraston may not have been able to deliver to Smith the plates of [Pier Antonio] Micheli's [(1679-1737)], memoir on 'Lathyrus sativus', and letter he entrusted to him in Florence. Has requested of Mr Hilton a model of the pump of Albion mill.

The newly established Académie Delphinale.

Corrections and comments on Smith's usage of Latin in a manuscript sent for review [possibly Smith's translation of "Flora Lapponica"]. Asks Smith to confirm what he wrote of 'Lichen gypsaeus' and briefly discusses Linnaeus' terminology. In reference to 'Lichen tiliaceus' quotes a Latin remark about [Georg Franz] Hoffmann. Terminology applied in description of 'Lichen cucullatus'. Long discussion of usage and eytymology of "scutella"; "scutellum" incorrectly used by Linnaeus in "Philosophia Botanica", whereas the younger Linnaeus used "scutella"; wishes the elder Linnaeus had been more of a scholar.

Met [Jonas Carl] Dryander on way to Kew where two species of 'Aponogeton' are in flower, the 'Fudisia' [?] with "red superb flowers". Note on reverse of letter asks Smith to send the specimen of 'Cistus guttatus'.