Thanks Smith's mother for turkeys. Has received pamphlets. Glad to hear of Smith's progress in arranging, and writing, papers of [John] Sibthorp. Institut Français has begun its election of foreign members, including President Jefferson of USA for political economy, Dr Hayden for belles-lettres and Banks for geometry and physics. Has heard of disputes in Linnean Society over election of foreign members.

Asks Smith to thank Mr Grave for "his magnificent present" of a swan, and Smith's mother for turkeys. Uncertain how the "sudden and unexpected concussion" caused by resignation of Prime Minister William Pitt will end, "dear old England cannot suffer much" [Pitt resigned after an impasse was reached over Catholic Emancipation].

Account of his botanical tour of the the Connemara area of the county of Galway, Ireland, undertaken in August and September 1801, and his discovery of 'Eriocaulon decangulare'. This area had never before been explored by botanists except for Llhwyd in 1699 [Edward Lhuyd ? (1660-1709), Keeper of Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1690-1709]. Brief account of geography of Connemara.

Lists numerous authorities and previous descriptions of the 'Eriocaulon decangulare' he discovered, including: Linnaeus "Sp. Pl." 129 "Mantissa alt." 167 327, "Philosphical Transactions of the Royal Society" v.59.241, [John] Lightfoot "Scot" 569, being the 'Nasmythia articulata' of [William] Hudson "Ang" ed. alt. 414-415, the 'Eriocaulon septangulare' of [William] Withering ed. 3.184, the 'Eriocaulon decangulare' in "Flora Carolin[ian]" 83, Lamarck "Encyclop" tom.3.276. Jancinelle d'ecangulare, "English Botany" vol.II. 733, the 'Eriocaulon septangulare' of [Carl Ludwig] Willdenow "Sp. pl." v.1.486. It inhabits the edges of bodies of water across Connemara and Galway. Analyses its character as described in "English Botany", and by Lightfoot and Hudson. Believes Hudson should have used the trivial name 'reticulata' and not 'articulata', and that the generic name was changed to 'Nasmythia' to honour [John] Nasmyth [(1557-1613)], botanist and surgeon to James I. His own observations on its character. A specimen of his 'Eriocaulon' is enclosed [extant].

Intends in his "Flora Hibernica" to only publish plant locations personally verified by himself in or with a living specimen.

Specimen, 'Eriocaulon'.

Transcribes extract on 'Schoena' from volume 4 of [Friedrich] Ehrhart's "Beiträge". Two new English lichens, 'Lichen abietinus' and 'Lichen citrinellus', have been sent to him by [John] Harriman. Disagrees with Smith over definition of [Friedrich] Ehrhart's 'paradoxa'.

Communicates his observations on "the small knobs frequently found on shells of the 'Anomia' genus", which he has discovered to be the ossified "tendinous ligature" of other unfortunate shells violently forced from their "adhesive situation".

Disagreements over 'Carex' between him and [John] Pitchford, who believes Goodenough's 'Carex fulva' is the 'C. distans' of all other authors and sent specimen to him of which Goodenough thinks it a slight variety of 'C. flava'. Pitchford believes everyone has been deceived by [William] Hudson's 'C. inflata' which is in fact Smith's 'C. laevigata'; Goodenough convinced it is his 'C. depauperata'. Continually asked when Smith's "Flora Britannica" will be completed. Wishes that he had been on hand when Smith was selecting specimens and writing for "English Botany". Believes that the arrival of peace [Treaty of London, signed 30 September 1801, a preliminary peace between Britian and France] will be particularly beneficial for natural history, hopes that Britain will "keep the lead in science, as we have undoubtedly in naval glory" but dreads introduction of revolutionary principles.

At request of [Alexander] Macleay encloses copy of proposed [Linnean Society] charter for Smith's opinion. [William] Kirby's work on 'Apis' in the press, as is his own "Entomologia Britannica".