Thanks for seeds from Calcutta. 'Myrtus pimento' and 'Cordia coccinea' flowered during summer at Farnham, [Surrey].
Thanks for seeds from Calcutta. 'Myrtus pimento' and 'Cordia coccinea' flowered during summer at Farnham, [Surrey].
Glad Smith sent the two volumes of "Flora [Britannica]" and the "Compendium" to Sir Joseph Bank's house. Grateful to Smith for wanting to publish a paper in the "Transactions" of the Lisbon Academy but warns that it will not receive very wide notice. Outraged that [Jacques Julien Houton de] la Billardière has renamed Smith's genus 'Correa' to 'Mazeutoxeron'.
Sends list of subscriptions [extant] to cost of a charter for Linnean Society; little doubt of their raising the required £300, though some Fellows, including [Erasmus] Darwin, Dr Thomas Young, Lord William Seymour, [Thomas] Rackett, and [George] Shaw have refused to contribute in various manners. Concerns that [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert has changed his opinion on the matter, though [Thomas] Marsham has listed him for £20 according to earlier understanding. Asks Smith to encourage his friends to contribute. Main reason for acquiring the charter is for it to act as a Deed of Trust for every Fellow, and thus authenticate the bonds for membership dues.
List of subscribers and amount pledged.
Communications from [Philippe Picot] Lapeyrouse who is unsure if Smith received the numerous letters he sent, including: informing him of publication of his "Flore des Pyrenees" which he would like Smith to sell copies of, intends to publish another five volumes; how to purchase "Flora Lapponica", "Flora Londinensis", and "Plantae Cryptogam"; and sending dried of plants to Smith via Mertens. Requests British specimens of 'Ulva' and 'Conferva', has been botanising with [Albrecht Wilhelm] Roth [(1757-1834)]; requests specimens of the "Dicksonian discoveries"; and asks for introduction to [Dawson] Turner on strength of his collection of "algae aquaticae".
Encloses a letter from Jacquin, apologises for not being able to visit Smith in Norwich before commencing his tour through England and Scotland. Complains that his cousin's poor correspondence skills have lost him his chance of joining the Linnean Society when it was offered by Smith, consequently asks for introductions to learned men of natural history.
Notes and observations on 'Ulva diaphana'; encloses specimens. Had thought that Smith's Hafod drawings were to be engraved in wood by a student of Bewick's.
Received Smith's "Compendium florae Britannicae", a work of this kind was greatly needed by botanists. Has an interest in producing a similar work for foreign botany for the use of travellers, some views on its probable contents. Sorry that Smith did not come to Oxford, fears the desiderata from [John] Sibthorp's collections are either already with Smith or lost: was always surprised by Sibthorp's lack of care with his original specimens. Asks if Smith has settled Sibthorp's 'Verbascum' and 'Campanula'. Wishes that Smith had observed that the Oxford 'Orobanche' was 'Orobanche elatior' and not 'Orobanche major'.