Corrections and criticisms regarding "Flora Graeca", including spelling of Maina and errors in habitats taken from [John] Sibthorp's journals. Declines Smith's request for a copy of the work; the trustees have already incurred a high responsibility by advancing £750 before any sheets were printed.
Newly formed Agricultural Society of Jamaica desires Smith as an Honorary Member.
Acknowledges receipt of manuscript book and letters to forward. Hopes Smith has recovered from his confinement. Will shortly send Smith the "Hortus Malabaricus".
Lists contents of the chest he is sending Smith to look after, including: Rheede's "Hortus Malabaricus", [Elizabeth] Blackwell's "[A curious] Herbal", and folios of drawings of plants and fungi, including a "beautiful crimson" 'Convolvulus' he has not seen in any books; recommends it for "Exotic botany".
[Copy in Smith's hand]
Sends account "of the process for preparing the little cakes of lozenges called by the Malays Gutta Gambeer" [extant]. Rumphius has described the plant from which they are made but erroneously denied their being extracted from it. Sends dried specimen of the plant, two drawings, describing their subjects, and specimen of the lozenges.
"Observations on the drug called Gutta Gambeer", including description of 'Nauclea gambir' [7 pp], and description of 'Nauclea acida' and 'Nauclea sclerophylla'.
Anstruther and Hardwicke.
Received Smith's letter of 10 December [1805]. Surprised that Smith's "antagonist" [Richard Salisbury] has taken his "animosity so very far"; believes there may be more than botanical causes for the schism and that Salisbury is "again brewing something" against Smith; Smith's use of [Jean-Jacques] Rousseau [(1712-1778), philosopher] motto in second volume of "Exotic botany" will perpetuate the "unworthy affair".
No original specimen of 'Plinia' in Sir Joseph Banks' herbarium; the plant they consider the same is specimen sent by [Alexander] Anderson [(1748?-1811), botanist] from West Indies, sending Anderson's description and drawing [extant]. Expects "Annals of Botany" to cease publication with next number as it is proving to be a losing concern. Salisbury has offered a paper on splitting of 'Ornithogalum' into two genera, calling one 'Gagea' after Sir Thomas Gage. Parcel for Smith from Willdenow; he wishes for the new British 'Salix'.
[Postscript] Specimens, descriptions, and drawings brought from New Holland by [Robert] Brown and [Ferdinand Lucas] Bauer [(1760-1826), botanical artist] "are by far the most excellent that ever resulted from any expedition", numbers exceed 2000. Proposes new genus 'Brunonia' in Brown's honour. [Ambroise] Beauvois [(1752-1820)] has given name 'Ventenatia' to a genus of 'Malvacca', at Ventenat's own choice; proposes Smith's 'Ventenatia' as genus for Brown.
Drawing and description of 'Plinia'.
Contrary to [James] Sowerby's statement, he did not intend to imply he would defend Smith in print against [Richard] Salisbury's pamphlet ["The generic characters in the English Botany" (1806)], but has been openly giving his opinion in conversation. Warns Smith against responding in any of his works as it would perpetuate the "disgraceful affair". Glad to hear "Florae Graecae prodromus" is printing, but sorry to hear Smith's health not good enough to lecture at Royal Institution.
Regrets he is unable to add his signature to [William] Roscoe's on Lord [Edward Smith-]Stanley's nomination certificate for Linnean Society, as they are not personally acquainted.
Pleased to hear Smith is recovered from his late "tedious" indisposition. Unable to accommodate Smith and [William Fitt] Drake as usual this year as the house is being redecorated, and as his business has increased he is making more use of rooms than previously, and their maid Sally has also left. Will endeavour to acquire alternative accommodation for Smith.
Activities and publications.
Pleased to of recovery of Smith's health in his letter of 2 [January 1806]; his own bad health forced him to leave Bengal. Regrets his and Smith's missing each other in Liverpool; now little chance of their meeting until Smith comes to London in April. Contemplating a return to Bengal as the climate here is not agreeable. Comparing his specimens with [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert's; Lambert has almost convinced him that [Charles] Konig's 'Argostis linearis' is Smith's 'Panicum dactylon'; recommends Sir William Jones' figure of former in "Asiatick Researches" vol 4; requests Smith's assistance with all his Indian plants.
Regrets the accidents and misfortunes that have so far prevented him from meeting Smith; the climate here does not suit his "Indian constitution", intends to return there this spring. Just received a few ripe seeds of 'Cycas circinalis' from Calcutta, and were opened at Sir Joseph Banks' the other day, has reserved one for Smith to dissect.
Banks is to select the drawings for second number of third volume of his "Plants of Coromandel" tomorrow; he had intended to publish four species of his genus 'Colebrookia', but as Smith discovered 'C. bulbifera' to be 'Globba marantina' Linnaeus as published in "Exotic botany" asks whether they are all to be made 'Globba' and [Henry Thomas] Colebrooke [(1765-1837), administrator in India and scholar] given another genus, or be introduced under his old name.
Thanks for Smith's letter of 8 [December 1806] and Norfolk turkey. Sir Joseph [Banks] ill but will tell him what Smith said of 'Globba'; needs to find Smith's "Exotic botany" 177, suspects it is another of his proposed 'Colebrookia' species. Asks if the new genus Smith has selected for 'Colebrookia' is [Francis] Buchanan's 'Sussodia', as he has two species of that genus selected for his volume ["Plants of the Coast of Coromandel"]. Informs Smith he has already named a genus for Colonel [Thomas] Hardwicke in first number of his third volume ["Plants of the Coast of Coromandel"]; details. Efforts to name a genus after Buchanan in same volume.
Sending two seeds of 'Cycas circinalis', and one he dissected in order to provide figure, encloses sketch of the section [extant]. Has not yet compared Smith's 'Roxburghia' with his own, so uncertain how they came to be unalike, though may be due to sending Lady [Amelia] Hume the roots before it blossomed in Bengal.
Separate note with cross section of seed, in pencil, and pencil remarks explaining the drawing.
Queries on [Thomas] Hardwicke's paper [for "Linnean Transactions"]; suggests a name and character for his new species [of Jerboa]. Sends three papers from which extracts will be printed for Smith to prepare. Intentions for next volume of "Linnean Transactions".
Sending Smith further specimens of 'Artemisia', would like Smith's opinion. Also encloses a 'Festuca' [extant], uncertain on the species.
Specimen.
Extract of a letter from Mrs Merry of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Davies, 23 Sep 1806, in which she says she has a specimen that Smith is "dying for" but that she will not show it until Smith writes to [Henry] Muhlenberg. Also encloses a letter from Muhlenberg to Merry [not extant]. In respect of the shells Davies, and the specimen Smith stands to gain, requests the portrait of Smith promised to Davies but not yet received. Mr Wyley is to soon embark for the Cape [of Good Hope], asks Smith to recommend any useful books.
Encloses list of desiderata of lichen and mosses from "Flora Britannica" and "English Botany" in order to determine his own collection. Smith has ticked the following, probably specimens he sent: 'Gymnostomum aeruginosum', 'Grimmia schisti', 'Dicranum suscescens', 'Hypnum polyanthus', 'Hypnum swartzii', 'Hypnum imploxum', 'Lichen contiguus', 'Lichen conspurcatus'. Has just received some new mosses and lichens from the East Indies.
According to Lord Blandford the Norwich Paving Bill did not meet with opposition in the House of Lords. Misses his botanical conversations with Smith.
Comments on errors in the first half volume of "Flora Graeca", including different trivial names for the same plant in plate 31 and the corresponding text; error in spelling 'Minae' for 'Mainae' and 'Messenae' for 'Messenia'; omission of vulgar Greek name of 'Cyperus'; Smith's misleading manner of setting habitats for ubiquitous plants such as 'Phillyrea', wild olive, Manna ash, 'Gladiolus communis', 'Iris sisyrinchium', and 'Iria bulbacodium'. Regrets Smith did not apply to him more for particular information, presumed he had [John] Sibthorp's journals but but suspects this was not the case. From his own edition of the journals disputes attribution of a 'Valeriana tuberosa' and comments on other plants mentioned in the journal including a new 'Valeriana', a new 'Salvia', 'Salvia argentia' and 'Salvia sibthorpii'. Has found 'Campanula hederacea' in Sussex.
Delayed from executing Smith's wishes concerning [Francis] Buchanan, requests another "show-able" letter but unsure what use [Jacob] Bosanquet [a director of East India Company] can be to him seeing as Buchanan already has the sanction of the Governor-General [Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto (1751-1814)]. [James] Sowerby has had both 'Jasminum multiflorum' and 'Seseli gummiferum'. The sea-bathing at Worthing is very agreeable and picturesque.