Has finished his index as far as possible. Impatient for further parcel of autograph specimens. Correction for errata of second volume of ["A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]. Hopes a finished, printed copy can be sent to the Linnean Society for either 17 April or 1 May.

Approves autographs [for "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]. Requests further proofs so he can finish his index, and fair copies of various sections.

Returns remaining 10 volumes of Miss Currer's collection of correspondence, and volumes of [Emanuel Mendez] da Costa's [(1717-1791), naturalist] correspondence, and a few other letters.

Saw Mr Longman on his return through London yesterday, who expressed "great pleasure" in publishing the "Correspondence", and regretted that his house had formerly declined taking on the work. Offers his interest in this edition to Nichols for £100 and 150 copies, as it is the kind of book to make presents and exchanges with.

[Draft of Nichols' reply:] Declines Smith's offer.

Satisfied with arrangements for publication, and leaves arrangements with Longman to Nichols. Returns proof of index.

[This letter appears to be a later copy and is not in Smith's hand]

Thanks for mention of him and his "Grammar of Botany" in last "[Gentleman's] Magazine". Approves of the 20 copies of "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" alloted to him. Requests a set of the autographs. "Poor Mr Stevenson's treasures are preparing for sale by auction".

Requests return of autographs of [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau [(1712-1778), philosopher], [Nicolas de] Condorcet [(1743-1794)], [William] Hogarth [(1697-1764)], and Ramsay, if Nichols has them. Hopes "Linnaean correspondence" is selling well, has not yet seen it reviewed.

Sending proofs. Details of type, agrees about not having woodcuts. Intends to call on Nichols during his time at Thomas Furly Forster's at Clapton in May. Declines receiving any further [Emanuel Mendez] da Costa's [(1717-1791), naturalist] as they are chiefly mineralogical.

Returns some corrected proofs. Discusses additional volumes, writing of a preface, and whether to have a contents and an index.

Note in John Bowyer Nichols' hand attached.

Sends concluding proof sheet of first volume [of "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]. Discusses composition of preface. He has an abundance of letters ready for the second volume.

Enclosing letters for second volume [of "A selection of the correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]. Discusses their arrangement and page layout.

Suffering from a long and severe inflammation of the lungs, preventing him from going to London. Asks Sowerby to send any "Flora Graeca" plates or patterns to look over.

Note [in Sowerby's hand] listing plates and patterns sent.

Returns plates [for "Flora Graeca"] with his approval; unfortunate accident with drawing of 'Reseda alba', though it is only the first accident of the kind. Sowerby's name engraver is a "precious blockhead", wishes him to copy only what he writes. Instructions on use of capital letters.

Uncertain what sort of zoologists Sowerby is working with, "but most of them now are doing all they can to corrupt the science, splitting & subdividing without science or learning"; laments the mischief caused at the British Museum by [William Elford] Leach, "his labours [...] are only a monument of his insanity". Discusses 'Patella craniolaris' of Linnaeus. His late complaint of cholera "quite gone". Sends 10 drawings, 476-485.

Anxiously awaiting another parcel of plates of "Flora Graeca" from Sowerby. Their planned route from Bristol to London, including a visit to [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert at Boyton, [Wiltshire], expects to be in London by 15 October. Suffering from rheumatism in his legs.

Comments on how difficult he finds it "to be allowed to mind [his] own business", but concedes difficulty as he works "so much for the publick". Approves of Sowerby's "Life" of his father [James Sowerby], though doubts whether it is proper for the public. He is ill with catarrh, pulmonary inflammation, and weak stomach. Can have no communication with Mr G Leathes and has nothing to say on his plant. Considers the call for Sowerby's accounts respecting "Flora Graeca" a most "impertinent inquistion", "what a curse is law in this country".

Thanks for letter and packet. Observations on Winch's specimens: leaving the roses until he comes to that section of "[English] Flora", but having briefly examined them concurs with Winch's opinions and compliments him as "a faithful & original observer"; believes the genus ['Rosa'] is a perfect example of the saying "the more cooks, the worse broth"; has no true authority for 'Rosa villosa' being wild in Britain.

Has not yet read [William Jackson] Hooker's work on roses, but thinks Hooker was "too hasty" with 'Salix' and showed he had not studied them properly, which he has told him, will avoid doing so in public. Criticises various recent publications on 'Salix' including by De Candolle and Sprengel, in which his own work on willows has been "jumbled", and Seringue, leading to nurserymen applying his names to common varities, leading him to be "plagued with enquiries".

Observations on Winch's remaining specimens: Winch's 'Salix forsteriana' and 'S. andersoniana' correct; the 'Salix' of fifth and sixth editions of [William] Withering's ["Botanical arrangement"] is 'S. myrsinites'; 'Cypripedium calceolus'; 'Saxifraga hirculus'; Winch's 'Epilobium alpestre' his 'E. alsinifolium'; 'Thlaspi hirtum'; Winch's new 'Veronica' is his 'V. saxatilis'.

Thanks for Winch's last work, has sent a copy to [Robert] Brown. Apologises for not being "a good correspondent", he has too much other writing; deeply engaged with "Flora Graeca", and following a trip to Holkham [Hall, Norfolk, home of Thomas William Coke] intends to focus on "English Flora", which he longs for "more than a schoolboy for his holidays".

[On recto of second folio] Two lists of plants sent to Smith, dated 12 March 1823, and 26 April 1824 "with desiderata" [in Winch's hand, see RelatedMaterial below].

Thanks for Christy's letter, spent the last three weeks in Suffolk. Christy's plant is the real 'Cistus surrejanus', refers him to "English Flora" vol 3, p25, will quote Christy's new observations in corrections and additions of the fourth volume. 'Dianthus barbatus' cannot be supposed wild in Britain.

The Edinburgh regius botany professorship is in the gift of [James Graham, 3rd] Duke of Montrose [(1755–1836)] and was given to [Robert] Graham [(1786-1845), professor of botany at Glasgow; doubts that it was offered to [Robert] Brown. Discusses the relationship between the university, the city, and magistrates of Edinburgh, who had proposed Brown. Smith only applied as a curiosity following an invitation of some professors and others. Feeling more and more indifferent about the Cambridge professorship.

Thanks for barrel of oysters. Steadily working on his "English Flora" and hopes to get it to the press in May; expects it to be "quite an original Flora" as he has been revising the whole subject and correcting mistakes made by previous writers and compilers. Asks Goodenough's advice regarding accenting of names and whether to give derivation of generic names. The whole object of the book is "botanical determination". Asks Goodenough's opinion of the "green old age" of [Thomas William] Coke [on 26 February 1822 Coke married for the second time Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803-1844), fifty years his junior]. Smith hopes he has done some good with the grasses and triandria monogynia, with which [Robert] Brown is "very great" but refines too much.

Takes on advice in Goodenough's last letter on "English Flora": only explanations of generic names will be for those new to British readers; praises Goodenough's plan for accenting but decides to adopt a simpler system. Queries whether [Augustin] de Candolle's new term, "carpella", for the single grains of compound fruits should not be "carpiola". Adopting [Johann von] Schreber's [(1739-1810)] genus 'Spartina' for 'Dactylis stricta' but the French have called it 'Limnetis'. Fears [William] Swainson has not succeeded in his attempts for a British Museum post. Regrets that party politics should make men such as [Thomas William] Coke and Edmund Wodehouse [(1784-1855), politician] enemies; feels some alarm at difference in age between Coke and his new wife [fifty years his junior]. [William] Roscoe preparing a "very excellent distribution of the species of 'Canna'" for Linnean Society.