Sorry to receive Smith's confirmation of the report that [Thomas] Marsham had appropriated £600 of funds from the Linnean Society for his own use. The report was first brought to him by [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, who received it from [William Elford] Leach, and after questioning Leach learns that the loss is not as great as £600 and Marsham has since paid £300 for renewing the lease of the Society's building. Goodenough proposes a fundraising subscription to save the Society and a "great entrenchment of finances", starting with employing an additional person to justify [Robert] Brown's excessive salary for eight hours of attendance a week as librarian. Laments Smith's absence as Lambert does not have the experience to deal with the situation.

In a postscript Goodenough writes that Marsham's son attended a Council called to discuss the matter, and said that the money would be forthcoming; confusion over whether Marsham had resigned as Treasurer. Goodenough refused [William] Kirby's canvassing letter.