Lannay visiting London and will convey news; flora of Mount Atlas.

Thanks for Australian plants; difficulties of communication in war time; death of Johann Hedwig; his collections to be sold; grasses; tabular chart of species collected.

Missed [James] Sowerby's call at Tredrea, although the poor health of his father prevents it from being a station for long journeys. Pleased that Smith is to finish [John] Sibthorp's work on "Flora Graeca". Pleased with progress of "Flora Britannica", wishes that Cornwall had been previously visited and studied, believes some Cornish plants are at least varities of "those considered as English species".

Discussion of [John] Sibthorp's collections and materials for "Flora Graeca". Hopes Smith has received it all, especially large collection of seeds made in his last tour and named by Sibthorp on the spot, names on specimens are otherwise absent due to Sibthorp's "perfect knowledge" of them. Explains Sibthorp's subdivision of "Flora Graeca" into provincial floras including: "Flora Lacynthia" prepared by Consul Foresti; small collection from Maina; sub-alpine plants collected by himself in Crete. Happy to assist in deciphering the vulgar Greek plant names. [John] Flaxman [(1755-1826)] is executing a monument to Sibthorp. Sending specimens of several rock plants, left about 200 with a large collection of seeds in Patras, Greece.

Thanks Smith for hospitality during visit to Norwich in November. Sends list of queries on genus 'Brownea', for Smith to answer and return.

Convinced that the fructification of what they believe is 'Cycas revoluta' is new to England and possibly Europe; did not see it flower but makes observations on its leaves and fruit; Mr Poulter sent Smith half of one of the fruits, will send more of the fruits himself unless Smith visits soon. One of his daughters is painting the fructification. Asks how to transmit the information to Linnean Society as Linnaeus' only says a few words on the 'Cycas' genus. Will pay for a painter to make an image of it if necessary.

Thanks Smith for his recent visit to Farnham and for his observations on 'Cycas [revoluta]' and other plants. Infers that 'Cycas' is dioecious from Bauer's painting of a male plant at Vienna and the lack of the corculum in his seed. Shall put aside a specimen of the seed and frondeal leaf for the Linnean Society, thanks for account from [Carl Peter] Thunberg. Thanks Smith for Cape seeds.

Believes that 'Myosotis scorpioides', 'Myosotis palustris', and 'Myosotis arvensis' are distinct species rather than varieties, his observations.

Thanks for seeds, especially of 'Nymphoea adversa', Murchison [his gardener?] skilled at raising seeds. Was forwarded part of [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert's Cape collection, the thirty 'Protea' species the most valuable part. Has grown a red reed 'Erythrina' from seeds sent by [Jelinger] Symons. Received seeds from [Robert] Brown in Jamaica including 'Wrightea superba[?]'. Brown has made a collection of 'Epindendrum' and named a new genus 'Valentiae' from the Blue Mountains in [Annesley's] honour. Anxious to see "Flora Britannica". Smith to receive a letter from [Thomas] Butt. Requests 'Erica' seeds to compliment those received from Lambert. A new painter in his area who will soon rival "most of the Londoners".

Four sided list of queries and notes on the numbered plants he has sent Smith over the previous six years.

Thanks Smith for sending mint plants; if number 11 of the mints is easily procured he would like it to complete the set. Hopes the people of Norwich are raising subscriptions for relief of the poor "at this distressing time", as is happening here; his sister and Mr Dixon have set up a soup shop at Henham selling it at 1d a quart. Encloses plates of his 'Peziza [cuticulosa]' [extant] for Smith to send Persoon, will search for specimens.

Plate of 'Peziza cuticulosa'; description and engraving.

Has had no acknowledgement of the parcel of his books and fungi he sent to [James] Sowerby nor the letter to Smith containing paper on beech tree. Plans to dedicate the second part of his "Mycological observations" to Smith ["Icones et descriptiones fungorum minus cognitorum.."?]. Offers to send fungi for Smith and Sowerby. Has edited [Carl Peter] Thunberg's "Dissertations".

Explains that the authority for habitats in "Flora Cantabrigiensis" and his supplements are all his, except 'Phleum paniculatum' which is on [James] Crowe's authority, and except for 'Salix rubra' found by [Samuel] Goodenough at Ely the other ['Salix'?] habitats are wrong. Lists two pages of new habitats for plants in "Flora Cantabrigiensis" for insertion [in "English Botany"]. Has sent [James] Sowerby and now Smith specimens of 'Potamogeton gramineum' and his Burwell plant, thinks it is the plant in "Flor. Dan. t.222" ["Flora Danica"?]. Lists two pages of new Cambridgeshire plants and habitats found since his last supplementum [over following two sides of the letter]. Commencing study of mints ['Mentha'], offers to send specimens of any not described by [William] Sole. List of plants sent, five are unnamed with habitats, but presumably 'Mentha'; plus 'Potamogeton gramineum', which Smith has annotated "only 'compressum'"; and possible 'Salix caprea', asks Smith to figure it if so.

Introduces Dr. Noehden; asks for specimens of 'Potentilla', 'Filago', and other plants; thanks for introduction to Dawson Turner.

Believes his letter to Smith of July 1798 and parcel to Sir Joseph Banks have been lost, contents included: latest parts of "Acta" [of Swedish Academy of Scienes], including Smith's paper on 'Westringia'; copies of Smith's dissertation on 'Plukenetia' from "Acta Soc. Upsaliens" vol 6; and a paper of his in same volume on 'Epindendrium'. Hope Smith received the West Indies plants and cryptogamic plants sent with his letter of October [1798]. Sends paper on 'Ehrharta' for "Linnean Transactions", further notes on it. Informed by [Adam] Afzelius that Smith is finishing "Flora Britannica". The printing of his "Flora Indiae occidentalis" has been delayed by the war. Has attended to ['Anthesteria'] in a similar way to 'Ehrharta'. Asks Smith's opinion of his work on 'Epidendrum', further notes on it.

Long postscript discussing specimens of a New Holland genus in the 'Gynandria' class Smith sent him in 1795 and provisionally named "nov genus orchidearum no 2", believes it is of the genus 'Orchid.' and has written on it in the "new journal of botany" published by [Heinrich Adolph] Schrader in Gottingen. Queries plants in Smith's "Tentamen botanicum de filicum generibus dorsiferarum", including: 'Onoclea', 'Osmunda spicant', 'Acrostichum septentrionale', and 'Davallia falcata'. Has two new species for 'Villaria', they are published in second volume of "Neue Schriften des Gesellschaft Naturforschende freunde in Berlin". Has been working for a long time on the 'Gynandrous' genera and order 'Orchid.', confident of finding a firm character.

Thanks for specimens of 'Mentha' and copy of Smith's paper on same [see RelatedMaterial below]; discusses classification of 'M. sativa' and 'M. gracilis'.

He has temporary charge of the East India Company's botanic garden at Calcutta whilst [William] Roxburgh is at the Cape [of Good Hope] recovering his health. He has been drawing and describing his fish specimens; forwarding drawings and descriptions of 10 'Cyprini' as an example; his method for interpreting the Bengal names; has nearly 200 drawings of fish; unsure whether to publish as a separate publication or in "Linnean Transactions". Sending description and drawings of a bat for "Linnean Transactions". Received word that the Directors of the East India Company have received his Burmese plants specimens and given them to Sir Joseph Banks.

He is publishing a long paper on the "Religion of the Burmas" in "Asiatic Researches" vol 6; he has caused great offence amongst the Indian antiquaries by claiming that Buddhism is the original doctrine of Hinduism, and that the Bramins are "intruders from Egypt".

Last year he was employed in preparing a report on suitability of Chittagong and Tippera provinces for spice cultivation, which was unfavourable, but a trial is to be made at Chittagong for which he will send nutmeg and cinnamon trees. Collected a number of specimens on this trip. Intends to send Smith a parcel of seeds for distribution. Planning to an expedition through the Sunderbunds forests and considering writing an account of the natural productions of district watered by mouths of the Ganges and Burampooter rivers.

Epitaph on death of Emma Smith, wife of his brother, Frederick Smith.

Promises specimens of 'Chara tomentosa', 'Heracleum augustifolium' and 'Euphorbias platyphyleos' in the future. Thanks Smith for assistance in translation of the synonym in 'Fontinalis minor'. Has added 11 new plants and habitats since "Flora Bedfordiensis" came out: 'Ruscus aculeatus', 'Bryum uniberbe', 'Byrum viridulum', 'Marchantia conica', 'Lichen graniformis', 'Lichen tessellatus', 'Lichen coarctatus', 'Lichen haematomma', 'Lichen cerinus', 'Lichen rimosus', 'Lichen awreus'.

Thanks Mrs Smith for turkey. Flattered by dedication of "Flora Anglica" [Britannica]. Remarks on severity of the winter, in which his steward has reported hearing "frost crack" in trees, apparently not observed in England since the "Hard Frost" of 1739-1740. Time has been taken up with Committee of Coinage so has done very little botany. [Jonas] Dryander printing catalogue.