Proposes a system of English scientific nomenclature in which the genus is Linnaean and the species English, with the benefit of encouraging more people to use such names. Sets out how the method would be adopted, with examples of the Linnaean name, scientific name, and common name, prescribing that the common English name be mentioned in any work on English plants as in [William] Withering's "Botanical Arrangement".

Glad Smith has received "Flora Oxoniensis", explains its rushed production and how it only contains plants he has seen. In his opinion latter classes of Linnaean system benefit from being "melted down amongst the others" but concern that in Germany the mixing has "almost spoiled its shape and form", disliking especially Gmelin's mixing of 'Icosandria' and 'Polyandria'. Was ill in Constantinople with a bilious fever and colic but has since conducted a full botanical exploration of the Bosphorus, woods of Belgrade, and sands of Domusderi on Black Sea. Has observed nearly 800 plants and obtained seeds of 'Daphne pontica' and 'Convolvulus persicus'. Queries 'Epimedium alpinum', ubiquitous in Belgrade woods which are barley mountainous. Frustration at custom of burning of forests, "very unfriendly to researches of the Cryptogamist", has only observed 'Boletus lucidus' the 'Boletus marginalis' of [Pehr Forsskål (1732-1763)]. 'Rosa centifolia' grows wild, pleasant odour from its mixing with 'Smilax'. Shores of Bosphorus poor in 'Fucus' and 'Testacea'. Collected fifty species of fish, many species of 'Labrus' present, inferior flavour of 'Julus' which is often sold in markets. Dolphins playful in the Bosphorus, gulls are as tame as pigeons. 'Procellaria puffinus' known locally as "souls of the damned". A 'Percnopterus' [Egyptian vulture] perched in the tree he was reading under, "I could not resist, not having the fear of the Egyptians before my eyes, to shoot it". Insects limited to scorpions, mosquitos, bugs and 'Conops calcitrans'. [John] Hawkins is in "high preservation" and has "huge mustaches, which he is nursing" for a Syrian and Egyptian tour. Travelling with Hawkins in Greece to Thessaly, Attica and the Peloponnesus and wintering in Zante. In short postscript states that [François] Borone is in good health, "in action quite a Le Fleur".

Death of François Borone: apparently fell through a narrow window in his sleep into the street below, dying almost immediately. Gives account of funeral including attempt by the Archbishop to extort money for permission for the burial. Planning to visit the Morea with [John] Hawkins in January, returning to England in spring or early summer. Has visited Olympus, Troy, Lemnos, Mount Athos, and Negropont.

On advice of [William] Withering is sending a specimen of the "creeping fig", with fruit. [Francis] Masson [(1741-1805), Kew plant collector] called it 'Ficus pumila' but Abbé Correa [José Corrêa de Serra] calls it 'Ficus repens', it grows abundantly in greenhouse of Royal Botanic Garden. Saw Correa and the "unfortunate [Pierre Marie Auguste] Broussonet" [who was forced to leave Paris and then Madrid], who disembarked in Lisbon after becoming concerned by reports of patrolling French cruisers. Has attempted to get Broussonet passage on the King's ship but Captain Rodney has strict orders against carrying French passengers. Broussonet agrees the fig is 'Ficus repens'. Sir Henry Vane, baronet, has taken charge of it on the "America".

Sending uncommon English plants for Linnean Society, hopes they will be useful for Smith's proposed "Flora Anglica". This summer toured Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, describes habitats of plants found, including: 'Aster tripolium' at Portsmouth, Hampshire; 'Tamarix gallica' at St Michael's Mount, Cornwall; and 'Erica vagans' at Lizard, Cornwall, found with 'Ulex europaeus' and 'Erica cinerea'. Sends shells and paper on new species of 'Tellina'.

Sending a third packet of local plants to Smith composed of grasses, his favourite, they are listed on second and third pages. Hopes the second packet formed of Lichens has arrived. Offers to send plants from Carolina, Kentucky, and some of the northern states. Very gratified by the observations Smith sent in repsonse to the first packet of plants.

Appointed [Robert] Kyd's successor as superintendent of Calcutta Botanic Garden . Sending seeds for Smith and thanks him for letters of 30 November 1792, 17 April 1793 and the three fasciculi. 'Swietenia' bark still successful in curing fevers, especially "Batavia fever". Has 400 plant drawings and descriptions, including 200 grasses, ready to send in addition to 500 already sent [to Sir Joseph Banks and East India Company], but currently deterred by previous batches being detained at Custom House and 20-30 being lost from the first parcel. Admits it was an error not to give a definition of each plant, gives Smith permission to use them. Few ferns in India but there are more in Calcutta than on the coast.

Has found new plants in Bengal including 'Asjogam' of "Hortus Malabaricus" vol 5 tab 59, thinks it a new genus and has named it after the late Sir William Jones ['Jonesia'] [(1746-1794) philologist and scholar of ancient India]. A manuscript of Jones' botanical observations to be posthumously printed in "Asiatic Researches" vol 4. Sends Jones' description of the 'Asjogam' and his own with drawing, hopes Smith can publish one. Has 400-500 drawings of plants to send by the next ships, his previously sent drawing of 'Nauclea orientalis' incorrectly labelled. Bark of 'Corchorus olitorius' and 'Corochorus capsularis' discovered to be equal to "the best flax" and will be a valuable export, it was mentioned by [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius and asks if it is known if "the ancients" or any other people substituted flax for it; the Bengali have long used it but only for cordage and twine uses, they believe 'Crotalaria juncea' is more valuable.

A duplicate copy of this letter was also sent.

This is letter is marked as a duplicate and was presumably sent at a later date to ensure arrival of at least one copy of the letter.

Has found new plants in Bengal including 'Asjogam' of "Hortus Malabaricus" vol 5 tab 59, thinks it a new genus and has named it after the late Sir William Jones ['Jonesia'] [(1746-1794) philologist and scholar of ancient India]. A manuscript of Jones' botanical observations to be posthumously printed in "Asiatic Researches" vol 4. Sends Jones' description of the 'Asjogam' and his own with drawing, hopes Smith can publish one. Has 400-500 drawings of plants to send by the next ships, his previously sent drawing of 'Nauclea orientalis' incorrectly labelled. Bark of 'Corchorus olitorius' and 'Corochorus capsularis' discovered to be equal to "the best flax" and will be a valuable export, it was mentioned by [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius and asks if it is known if "the ancients" or any other people substituted flax for it; the Bengali have long used it but only for cordage and twine uses, they believe 'Crotalaria juncea' is more valuable.

In postscript additional to the original letter writes that the majority of the season's ships have arrived but without letters from Smith or Mr Molesworth, fears some of his letters to Europe may have been lost.

Received Smith's letter of 16 December 1793 and letter and potato seeds from Mr Molesworth, none of them grew. Thanks for observations on the three 'Indigofera' plants, was uncertain about his 'Indigofera caeralia' ['Indigofera caerulea'?], comments that the seeds "vegetate" with difficulty which may prevent it being universally cultivated. Has sent Smith two capsules of 'Dillenia indica' and seeds of 53 species including 'Flemingia', shall send later 'Dillenia' flowers preserved in spirits. Sending 400 drawings, including 200 grasses, to the Directors [of the East India Company], wants Smith to point out any errors in them. Disappointed by his failure to grow 'Lythrum' as they do not have it but says 'Flemingia' is much more elegant. [John] Fleming [(1747-1829)], the East India Company's Surgeon-General, is a skilled botanist. Brief description of 'Jonesia', will send a full description if it is suitable for Smith's "Icones Pictae".

Has obtained seeds of 'Ipomaea grandiflora', the 'Munda-valli' of "Hortus Malabaricus"; Gaertner incorrect thinking it 'Bona-nox' which is Roxburgh's 'Ipomaea bona-nox', both are in Roxburgh's drawings numbers 567 and 568. Has procured living plants of Sir William Jones' 'Jatamansi', the real 'Spikenard': Jones concluded it was a 'Valerian' from the imperfect description he worked from; recommends Garcias ab Hotor's figure; believes Jones' plant is the 'Spikenard' of the ancients. Has been promised plants of 'Andropogon', a "medicine of repute of these countries", which Dr Blane took for the 'Spikenard'.

Several of the plant names have crosses next to them and some plant names are underlined in pencil.

Sending seeds of 'Munda-valli' ['Ipomaea grandiflora'] and 'Ipomaea bona-nox' in addition to other seeds recently despatched, extract from previous letter of same date regarding same. Describes fragrance of 'Munda-valli' flowers. Asks for seeds to be shared with Mr Molesworth and Dr [Patrick] Russell [(1727-1805) East India Company physician].

Pleasure at reading Smith's "Tour of the Continent", agrees with Smith's disparaging comments on the French, comments that the French Revolution would be happy if "the proud waves of correction" could be controlled, "but the cruel inundation has made havoc indiscriminate". Sorrow at execution of the "merciful" Louis XVI but rejoices at executions of [Jacques Pierre] Brissot [(1754-1793)] and other regicides. Recommends Smith reads the "private life of Louis XV".

[Hugh] Davies gravely ill, has urged him to go to Bath, [Somerset], but he is now better. Pennant revising old works but cannot manage anything new, has half finished his account of the United States for his "Introduction to the Arctic Zoology".

Sending cryptogamic specimens of plants described in Rohmer's "Botanical Diary" ["Botanical Magazine", part 1, June 1794] and two other commentaries. Asks permission to send paper for Linnean Society on new cryptogams. Engaged in researching synonyms of fungi; requests specimens of fungi described by Linnaeus, including: 'Agaricus betulinus', 'Boletus favus', 'B. tuberosus', 'B. fomentarius', 'B. igniarius', and 'B. subsquamosus', 'Hydrum parasiticum', 'H. imbricatum', 'Clavaria digitata', 'Helvella pineti', 'Clathrus delicatus', 'Lycoperdon truncatum', 'L. variolosum', 'L. radiatum', 'L. aurantium', 'Mucor sphaerocephalus', 'M. embolus', 'M. fulvus', 'M. furfuraceus', and 'M. clavatus'.

Compliments Smith's "Tour of the Continent". Received New Holland [Australian] plants from [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert, one has been named after him ['Pultenaea']. Noticed Smith's restoration of synonyms of 'Pinguicula'. If his paper is being printed in "Linnean Transactions"[presumably "History and description of a minute epiphyllous Lycoperdon"] asks to add [Christiaan Hendrik] Persoon's 'Aeidium anemones' of [Johann] Gmelin ["Systema naturae"] p.1473. Anxious for L'Héritier's safety. Has [Heinrich] Tode's "Fungi [Mecklenburgenses]".

Prefers that if a plant is named for him that it is capable of being cultured in England ['Pultenaea', an Australian plant, was named]. Received Sierra Leone seeds from [François] Borone, unsure if he can grow them. Asks if the "oak leather" fungus in [John] Ray's "Synopsis" is known and investigated in London, offers to send specimen, believes it is the dry rot of house timbers.

Specimen of 'Bryum hypnoides' and 'Hypnum delicata' enclosed.

Enquires after the mosses he requested a year and a half ago and still has not received; Smith said he would send them through [James] Dickson; re-requests them and asks that they be sent via Dr Sorande of London. Assumes Smith received his three previous letters, the second dated December 1793, contained exotic plants and rare lichens; the third dated June 1794, contained his botanical analysis of the first part of "Flora Germanica", will send latter part as soon as it is printed.

Finally received parcel of Smith's works, all of which find "great favour" here; disappointed no supplement to any has been published. Hopes to receive "Linnean Transactions" vol 2, Smith's "Tour", and the new work Smith mentioned. Requests second volume of "Asiatick Researches" and asks if third part of "Speculi Linnaei" has appeared yet. His recently published work ["Museum anatomicum"] expensive but demand keeping pace with supply. Still awaiting a letter from Sir Joseph Banks.

Thanks for parcel of books, just received, though disappointed it did not include two copies of third part of "Icones pictae"; requests that English and Latin versions be added with part 5 of "Botany and Zoology of New Holland". Will return spare copy of Smith's ["Sketch of a Tour on the Continent"]; so many copies have been imported into Holland there is no one to give it to. Received from Sir Joseph Banks not only a letter but also a human skull from New Holland. Requests second and third volumes of "Asiatick Researches".