Thanks for Smith's letter of 24 [November 1824], pleased to good account of his health. Unable to sign Mr Maund's nomination certificate for Linnean Society.
Pleased that he has presented Smith with a "new & important idea on the effects of a religious establishment"; he has been working on a now 500 page manuscript tract for 30 years, but considers himself "as good a Christian as any in Christendom".
Hopes to bring all his fungi to Norwich before Smith reaches them [in "English Flora"]; he has found hundreds of species since publishing first volume of his "Midland Flora", and [Robert Kaye] Greville, "in his admirable work", makes his descriptions too detailed to be followed.
Agrees with Smith that [William Jackson] Hooker "has rather mistaken the willows" ['Salix'], and thinks that "Flora Scotia" was rushed; points out errors. Has sent [Joseph] Sabine roses ['Rosa']; discussion of 'R. sabini' and 'R. mollis'; Sabine says the specimens he sent are both varities of 'R. doniana'.