Thanks for Smith's letter of 9 December [1791]. Requests copy of Smith's "Flora Lapponica" and remaining parts of Gaertner. Expects Labillardière's circumnavigation of the globe will delay his work. Requests remainder of Cavanilles' "Monadelphiae".

Thanks for Smith's letter of 16 [July 1792] and books; congratulates Smith on return of his health; state of his account with Smith. Expects he will have to draw a line soon regarding his purchase of works on exotic botany. Book orders for himself and a gentleman of his neighbourhood.

Should his 'Lycoperdon' paper be intended for publication he has some small additions to make. [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert in a "very low & depressed state". Grandmaison has published a French edition of his "View of the Writings of Linnaeus". Cannot come to London to examine Linnaean shells; his own collection contains nearly 1000 distinct species; he has lately inspired two young gentleman of the area in natural history, including [William George] Maton, whom Smith has already shown the Linnaean shells. Hears much of Bulliard's book on fungus ["Histoire des champignons de la France.." (1791-1812)].

Encloses bill for books, discharging his account. Reluctant to purchase periodical works such as Hedwig's, owing to difficulty of completing them.

Asks Smith to obtain list of foreign botanical books Haslock currently has in hand, as he wishes to obtain several titles of repute, including Schmidel's continuation of Gesner ["Historiae plantarum fasciculus" (1759)], and Hedwig's work ["Descriptio et adumbratio microscopico-analytica muscorum" (1787-1797)].

Thanks for "Flora Lapponica" and [Olof] Swartz' "Prodromus", has since acquired his "Observations". Fears everything in France will stop except bloodshed [France went to war with Austria in April 1792], wishes L'Héritier was in England. Wants to delay purchasing [Antonio] Cavanilles' "Monadelphiae" for its 'Gerania' content as L'Héritier is also publishing on same. Encloses specimen of 'Anemone nemorosa', following erroneous identification as 'Polypodium trifoliatum' by Mr Burrel in last "Gentleman's Magazine", has observed that the "appearances" on the underleaf are not insect eggs but fungi of 'Peziza' genus, asks Smith to examine and propose names.

Specimen of 'Anemone nemorosa'.

Asks to borrow Smith's folio copy of [Johann] Hedwig's "Historia muscorum" for the catalogue of plants he is compiling for Nichols' "History of Leicestershire", the previous editions are not proper to reference from. Reflects on his youthful enthusiasm for 'Musci' and small plants inspired by [John] Ray's "Synopsis" and his exchanges with [William] Hudson. Visited late Earl of Bute's "very rich" botanical library, 300 feet long conservatory, and four acre garden [John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-1792)]. Asks for L'Héritier's current location.