Believes [Francis] Buchanan is mistaken about Roxburgh's son who is according to her "apprehension" in possession of his father's place [in India]. Believes [William] Roxburgh is neither soliciting "his late place, or for that son". Comments that Mr Roxburgh [probably William Roscoe (fl 1780s-1810) superintendent of East India Company's spice plantations at Fort Marlborough, Sumatra] has "succeeded particularly well", bringing "spices to perfection at Bencoolen, [Sumatra]" in the Company's own establishments, something they "have very much at heart". Though she generally wishes to serve anyone Smith esteems cannot in this case turn Roxburgh's son out. Amused by [William] Roscoe's and Smith's "different appellations" of Liverpool voters, Smith referring to them as "slave-mongers" and Roscoe as "worthy constituents". Wishes him well although believes he cannot in private life be a better man than the one he has turned out, "seldom the politicks of the study turn out well in the Cabinet". Happy to see men of ability come forward when England is in danger [fear of imminent French invasion], commenting on the poverty, depression, insolence and larceny in Europe under the "tyrant" [Napoleon Bonaparte]. In a postscript on recto of first folio Hume notes that the 'Nadina officinalis' is coming into flower.

Apologises for being unable to procure seeds of 'Fuchsia' and 'Dodecatheon'. Communicates death of [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector] in Montreal, Canada. Believes Masson was "hard dealt by in being exposed to the bitter cold of Canada in the decline of life, after twenty five years service in hot climates". Hopes Smith will be Masson's champion when the time comes for a memorial to him.

Thanks for parcel of herrings. [William] Roxburgh's collection of plants in London, is working on his "Flora Indica". Roxburgh informed that [Francis] Buchanan is on the way home with the Marquess [Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley (1760-1842) Governor-General of India, 1798-1805]. Has received specimen of 'Fabricia laevigata' in flower. Sir Jospeh Banks is recovered and in the library again. Comments on the "charming plants" in Smith's last two numbers [probably "Exotic Botany"] but informed by [Robert] Brown that there is already a a genus given to [Etienne Pierre] Ventenat in a "Flora of Benin" published in Paris so likely Ventenat has already approved of it.

Thanks for turkey. Glad to hear that [Richard Salisbury] will soon lose his title [presumably as vice-president of Linnean Society], "no one ought to mind what he says or writes more than when a puppy barks". Sending specimen of 'Fabricia', also has two new species of "'Leptasperum'?". Has basket of "Lambert nuts" for Smith, told by [James] Sowerby that he has the drawing of it, believes it a new species mentioned by [Peter Simon] Pallas in his last tour. Has a 'Eucalyptus', 'Melaleuca veridiflora', and 'Styphalia' from Amboyna, [Indonesia].

[Letter incomplete: several lines from foot of second folio cropped, presumed destroyed]

Sending specimen of 'Seseli gummiferum' for possible inclusion in "Exotic Botany", initially gathered from the Oxford Garden and identified from [Peter Simon] Pallas' herbarium held by [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853) traveller and antiquary] in Lewes, [Sussex], and mentioned in Pallas' "Travels in the Crimea" and a work by [Johann Gottlieb] Georgi [(1729-1802)]. [Thomas] Marsham has just visited. [Francis] Buchanan is going out [to India] with Lord Minto [Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814) Governor-General of India 1807-1813]. Smith to send him specimen of 'Echinophora spinosa'. Asks Smith's opinion of [Richard] Sal[isbury]'s "critique on Mr Dry[ander]". In postscript states "'Seseli gummiferum' is biennial & is perfectly hardy".

Sent [James] Sowerby seeds of 'Seseli', specimen of "'Collinsonia anisatum' ['Collinsonia anisata'] Lyon. Cat.", specimens of "'Dahlia' now 'Georgina' Wild.", and will send 'Collinsonia tuberosum' Michx. ['Collinsonia tuberosa']. Was at Bristol when the West [Indies] fleet arrived, saw onboard Lord Seaforth's [Francis Humberston Mackenzie] ship his zoological and botanical collections, the latter was gifted to him by Lord Seaforth. Received collection of 'Fucus' from [Phillipe] Durand in Montpellier, [France], and a book on them by Ducluzeau, and specimens of 'Vallisneria' and 'Aldrovanda'. Received letter from [Jacques-Julien de] Labillardière who has finished his work on New Holland [Australia] plants, Labillardière laments Smith cannot see [Joseph Pitton de] Tournefort's [(1656-1708)] herbarium for "Flora Graeca".

Intends to keep dedication to Smith in ["The gardener's and botanist's dictionary"]. Considers Smith "the establishment", glad of Smith's decision to only neglect [Richard] Salisbury, whom he never "much affected either as a man or a botanist". Discussion of botanical terminology.

Elected to Linnean Society Council. Has collected plants in Abyssinia and shells from the Red Sea. Offers Smith plants from his herbarium on his return to England in two months.

Found 'Fucus pygmaeus' at a great height above sea level on Hoy mountain, [Orkney]. Encloses a chapter on the natural history of Edinburgh [not extant] he wrote for [John] Stark's "Picture of Edinburgh", [George] Don claims five of the plants described therein are his discovery, Neill defends himself and complains about Don. First natural history lectures in Edinburgh since the death of Dr [John] Walker [(1731-1803) professor of natural history] are to be held this summer by [Robert] Jameson [(1774–1854)] who is "fond of mineralogy and the Wernerian geology". The Natural History Society "begins to lift up its head" but has few members. John Mackay's [(1772-1802), employed at Dickson nursery, Edinburgh] memorial erected, will send a printed copy [this was sent at an unknown later date but included with this letter].

Would like to see [John] Sibthorp's notes on the ornithology of Greece, in particular Sibthorp's copy of Camus' translation of Aristotle, to see his observations on animals and pests common to Britain, migration of birds, and elucidation of Greek bird names.

[This letter is marked as a duplicate; Rottler's letter of 3 March 1807 [see RelatedMaterial below] mentions his sending a copy of this letter to Smith.]

Encloses duplicate of letter he sent 2 September 1805 [see RelatedMaterial]. Sending another small collection of plants, some of which are from Mysore and Ceylon, including: 'Ophiorhiza mungos'; believes one of the specimens is a new tree genus 'Galari maram', describes it; thinks two of the Ceylon plants are currently undescribed. Hopes Smith has received the "Gullimia" [drawing of a 'Polyandria by Elizabeth Gwillim, wife of Sir Henry Gwillim, Justice of the Supreme Court of Jurisdiction at Madras] and other dried specimens he sent earlier in the year.

Replying to Smith's letter of 21 December [1805]. [Thomas Williams] Simmonds has died [(d 1804), Mackenzie's naturalist], who had made great progress with his indices but not collecting, and his gardener James Mackie has left, so has been unable to do much in botany. Will look through his notes and collection for Smith's requests. Has two boxes of living plants to send [William] Roscoe. Making ornithological notes for [John] Latham. Lady Seaforth is returning home with description of, plus head and claws of a "magnificent" vulture, it is possibly a falcon. List of fifteen plants he is sending for Mr Shepherd, apologises for its deficiencies.

Introduces the bearer of the letter, [William Dandridge] Peck, professor of natural history at University of Cambridge [Harvard University], Massachusetts, who has been in Sweden. Hopes Smith received the parcel he sent last year via [Nathaniel] Winch. Sends his reprinted paper on 'Orchidae'. Hopes Smith received the letter he sent last December . Encloses a letter to be forwared to [Archibald] Menzies.

Has sent a collection of lichens on board the ship "Hazard" to be landed at Downes Wharf, regrets it is not as extensive as he would have wished. Observations on enclosed specimens: 'Rumex patientia', and three 'Lichen' from various mountains [extant].

Three 'Lichen' specimens, labelled.

Classes about to begin tomorrow so sending a few moss and plant specimens now, not expecting much time to do so in the summer. Observations on enclosed specimens: new 'Potentilla', proposes name 'P. alpina'; nondescript 'Saxifraga'; possible new 'Gymnostomum', proposes name 'G. martima'; new 'Dicranum' like 'D. pulvinatum'.

Observations on previoulsy sent 'Gymnostomum apocarpum', differences from 'G. ciliatum'. Also sends a 'Somemum'.

Encloses specimen of 'Gymnostomum donnianum' [extant], named by Dr [James Edward] Smith and to be included in "English botany" for next April, also encloses a magnified drawing of it and letter from the artist [both extant]. Asks Brodie to transmit the whole to Smith. [Dawson] Turner thought it the 'Grimmea pusilla' of "Flora Britannica" but after examining five hundred specimens he is sure it is not.

Letter from James Neill, Lauriston Road, to George Don, Edinburgh, 12 February 1806: describes how he drew the magnified drawing of 'G. donnianum' with a solar microscope, a method he believes is new. Pencil drawing of 'G. donnianum' and specimen of same, wrapped in paper.

Note by Brodie to Smith on cover, forwarding the whole.

Returns 6 drawings and two 'Conferva' specimens to be figured as t.2427 and t.2428 [of "English botany"], to finish no.247 June. Also returns Sowerby's "beautiful drawings" for the Duke of Bedford [John Russell, 6th Duke]; difficulty whether to call some 'Mespili' or 'Crataegi'. They intend to arrive back in London shortly.

Concerned to hear Sowerby is ill. Received [Richard] Salisbury's attack on "English botany" yesterday with another "scurrilous" letter; glad to see he praises Sowerby's part of the work. Intends to neither answer Salisbury's letters nor his work, and to return future letters unopened. Defends himself against Salisbury's attack by saying he is the "first English writer who undertook to examine the characters of Linnaeus, & to correct them where [he] found an error", and thus can only be blamed for not bringing them at once to "perfection".

Returns Sowerby's drawing for frontispiece of "Flora Graeca". emphasises that Hudson, Lightfoot and Curtis all copied Linnaeus without correction. Sorry to hear Sowerby is thinking of dropping "Exotic Botany" after its increased sale, reiterates that he is content to wait for his money for this work. Unable to send his specimen of 'Merops apiaster' for Sowerby to draw, so sends drawing of Hooker's. Sends his duplicate of 'Alopecurus fulvus'. Returning various plates for "English botany" and "Exotic botany".

Received Winch's parcel a few days ago, enclosing one from [Olof] Swartz; thanks for present of Winch's work ["The Botanist's guide through the Counties of Northumberland and Durham"] and specimens enclosed in it, particularly 'Hypnum cordifolium' and 'Dicranum fuscescens'. Thanks Winch for his numerous communications through [Dawson] Turner and [James] Sowerby, "which have enriched "English botany"".

Numbered responses to Winch's queries on plants: 1. like 'Hypnum rugosum'; 2. like Ehrhart's 'H. rugosum' but has not the "proper rugosity"; 3. 'Cochlearia officinalis'; 4. an 'Epilobium' he gathered on glacier of Chamouin in Savoy and supposed variety of 'E. alpinum', near 'E. roseum'; 5. a 'Chironia'; 6. 'Eriophorum polystachion'; has no means of ascertaining 'Bartiamia ithyphylla'; of the exotics 1 is a 'Caucalis' unknown to him, and the rest are 'Buphthalmum aquaticum', 'Statice monopetala', 'Fumaria parviflora', 'Frankenia hirsuta', 'Tribulus terrestris', and possible 'Scabiosa plumosa'; 7. 'Pryola media' of Swartz; 8. 'Pyrola folio rotundo'; "always a matter of wonder what all Rivinius's 'Pyrolae' were".

Turner's family in far better health and spirits than could be expected after "the dreadful loss of his only son by fire".

[On recto of second folio] List of specimens, corresponds with Smith's observations above [in Winch's hand].

Urges Smith to reread his last letter [not extant] where Smith will find that Banks did not draw parallels between Smith and [Richard] Salisbury. Had Banks known how deep the quarrel between Smith and Salisbury had become he would never have undertaken the "hopeless task" of effecting a reconciliation, and now relinquishes it. Refers Smith to his advice in last letter, viz to refrain from personal altercations but by no means avoid potential discussion. Remarks that whilst he does not "feel the esteem for Salisbury [he] once did" he does not "despise his indefatigable industry".