Encounters at Sir Joseph Banks' Soho Square home with [Jonas] Dryander, and [Charles] Blagden [(c 1748-1820), physician]. Blagden asked to hear of their visit to Pavia, [Italy], and the chief circumstances in the [Lazzaro] Spallanzani [(1729-1799), physiologist] "business" [probably in reference to accussations levelled at both Spallanzani and Giovanni Scopoli of mismanagement of Univsersity of Pavia museum. Smith was a supporter of Scopoli]. Blagden still sceptical after his account and suspects it a contrived affair of [Alessandro] Volta [(1745-1827), physicist].

Has not seen L'Héritier but told that he is stealing new plants and claiming them as his own, as [Johan Christian] Fabricius is doing in entomology. Fabricius has described 300 species just from [William] Jones' drawings without recourse to the insects themselves. Dined with Fabricius at Dr [Matthew] Baillie's and took him to task over the difficulties of his system, particularly in the examination of minute insects, but dismissed by Fabricius. Dr Grey of the British Museum agrees that Fabricius creates difficulties. Warns Smith against "foreigners, who seem to have their own ends in every thing they do, & who deprive the English of the merit of discoveries with their voluminous publications of what things they find new among us". Fabricius accessed Linnaeus' entomological collection via [Thomas] Marsham, its current possessor, in order to describe all the new insects, and in responding to Linnaeus' descriptions "with his own barbarous words" strengthen his own "feeble" system on the "strong natural foundation" of Linnaeus'. Fabricius left London a week ago "loaded with new things, for we have a wonderful alarcity in giving to foreigners what we will not give to our own countrymen".

Items collected during his time in Italy: gave Marsham several insects including 'Coleoptera' and 'Hemiptera'; possibly found Smith's 'Lampyris' close to Milan, it is 'Lampyris italica' in Banks' collection; his 'Scarabaeus sacer' is actually 'S. variolosus' on account of smoothness of thorax; the 'Chrysomela' given them by [Jacques Anselme] Dorthes at Montpellier is 'C. bankii'; unable to find a name for the insect similar to a 'Tenebrio' found on Mount Vesuvius. Has been associating with Marsham, who has given him about 80 English insects, principally 'Coleoptera' and 'Hemiptera' and some Chinese specimens. Marsham earnest about Linnean Society. Marsham showed him plate for his paper in first volume of "Linnean Transactions" ['Observations on the Phalaena Bombyx Lubricipeda']. Has not yet seen [Samuel] Goodenough, details of his movements. Shown 50 of [James] Sowerby's drawings new Cryptogamia found in last trip to Highlands by [James] Dixon [Dickson], to be possibly published in a new work.

Smith's family is in Chelsea, including his sister Esther. Smith's father to return to Norwich so Francis can meet Smith in Paris. Box of papers Smith addressed to Banks' has arrived safely, including the two bronze figures. Not impressed with Dr Simmons rude behaviour at Soho Square. Asks Smith to procure a print fo Linnaeus for him.

Received Smith's letter of 13 January. Account of the recent politics: his opinion of the imminent commercial treaty with France; hopes it will allow for natural history exports but uncertain of its long term prospects; account of current political state of the measure. Proceedings in Parliament including call for impeachment of [Warren] Hastings [(1732-1818), Governor-General of India 1773-1785] by [William] Pitt (1759-1806), Prime Minister 1783-1801 & 1804-1806] and others. Lord Mansfield is angry that Sir Lloyd Kenyon has been appointed to succeed him and refuses to resign and wishes for Buller instead. Dimisses a very a popular pamphlet [by Sir Nathaniel William Wraxall] called "A Short Review of the Political State of Great Britain" as "a jumble of the best sort of coffee house conversation". Portugal considered very inferior at the moment but Ministry very much perplexed by Irish affairs as the treaty says France is to be "the most favour'd nation".

Busy amusing himself with the idea of their new [Linnean] Society, which must replace "the present gross body" [Society for the Promotion of Natural History]. Critiques its activities which "go on in the usual way of having a fossil or plant go round the table, nothing is or can be said upon it - it is referr'd to a committee to consider of it" and then sent back and forth between Society and committee. Certain that if Sir Joseph Banks was not president of the Royal Society he would join [Thomas] Marsham, Smith, and himself in the new Society. Goodenough's "Systema Accentuatum" ready for the press but shall not print until Smith returns to England; he and Marsham have described 200 new species. Sent seeds received from West Indies to Kew, also received grasses. Currently setting up his insect cabinet with a collection of "some hundreds".

Hopes Smith sees [Carlo] Allioni; greatly admires his natural history work. Calls [Lazzaro] Spallanzani [(1729-1799), physiologist] a "rascal"; detests a natural history thief "beyond all possible theives" [Scopoli dispute]. Requests 'Curculis paraplecticus' and 'Agrostis minima'.

Critices the Society for the Promotion of Natural History for "dron[ing] on in its usual course" and particularly for a shambolic lecture by Dr Pitcairn on a new arrangement of shells. [Emanuel Mendez] da Costa [(1717-1791), naturalist] was at the meeting and "enjoyed everything said against Linnaeus", he had a paper on the fossil and living 'Asteria' which he would not deliver to the Society as intends to publish it himself.

Found a 'Cicada aurita', said to be a German insect, 'Silpha germanica', and many previously undescribed insects, further activity hindered by multiple attacks of gout in the summer. Travelling to Hastings, Sussex, on Saturday to collect new insects. Filling his insect cabinet with [Thomas] Marsham and [William] Jones' assistance, latter acquiring 200 lepidoptera for him. Purchased [Carlo] Allioni's "Stirpes Piedmontana". Has set his writing-master to copy the defect in second volume of De Geer, a work he loves. Advises Smith to study closely [Joseph Pitton de] Tournefort's [(1656-1708)] herbarium and not to bother smuggling any French wine home as their is now an over-supply. Anxiety over the issue of affairs in Holland, many positive that there will be war, it is said [William] Pitt approves it but a "Great Personage" is against it, a few months ago they were of contrary opinions.

Envies Smith for the sights he has seen, and to have 'Orchis abortiva' and 'Orchis coriophora'. Has heard that the Oxford Botanical Garden is in a "terrible condition". Glad Smith left Pavia before publication of his translation of Linnaeus' "Dissertation on the sexes of plants" as [Lazzaro] Spallanzani [(1729-1799), physiologist] would "assassinate" him.

Received Smith's letter of 2 [February 1787]. Regrets not seeing their "mutual best friend", [Samuel] Goodenough, as much as he would like to; they have described about 200 new British insect species but struggle without reference to the Linnaean collections. He has not said anything of the new Society [Linnean Society] other than to [John] Lyon of Dover, [Kent], who has despaired of the present one [Society for the Promotion of Natural History] and is committed to the new.

Showed Sir Joseph Banks the section of Smith's letter concerning [Lazzaro] Spallanzani [(1729-1799), natural historian] [on dispute between Spallanzani and Giovanni Scopoli over mismanagement of the Univsersity of Pavia museum; Smith was a supporter of Scopoli]; Banks read it aloud to the gentlemen present, including [William] Hudson, L'Héritier, [Olof] Swartz, and [Jonas] Dryander. Swartz has been collecting Jamaican plants and is comparing them with Banks' West India herbarium.

Thanks Smith for obtaining some of his 'Lepidotera' desiderata; requests further species. Progress of [William] Jones figures of same; received parcel of insects from China but only contained two 'Papilio' not yet figured by Jones. Discusses [John] Latham's "Le Courent Bris" from his ["General synopsis of birds"]. [James] Dickson had a successful natural history excursion in north of Britain but all his findings were lost in wreck off Dutch coast. A valuable new entomological correspondent, and others.

Publication of [William] Curtis' "Botanical Magazine". Recent appointments, including at [Society for Promotion of Natural History] and East India Company. Wishes he could have joined Smith on his "7 golden days" in Florence; wishes he had an independent fortune of his own and thinks Smith's situation a "most enchanting one". Comments on Spallanzani and Scopoli dispute.