Asks Smith to sign certificate for his diploma so as to practice as MD, at request of Professor Beattie of Aberdeen. Has found 'Daphne laureola' growing near him; heard that 'Cypripedium calceolus' grows locally though yet to find it. Death of his wife, his youngest daughter dangerously ill with same illness.

Has observed 'Falio aeruginosus' ['Circus aeruginosus' ?] very common on peat moors, and 'Parus biarmicus' in the sedges, they hope to find nests and eggs of the latter, "an object much desired by ornithologists". Found an 'Orchis' very like 'O. monorchis'.

[Smith has briefly noted contents of his reply] happy to sign, suggests Dr [John] Sims, [William George] Maton, or [Robert] Batty for other signatory. Asks "who & what is Mr [James] Bicheno".

Thanks for Smith's letter of 27 [March 1804] and for signing his certificate and suggestions for further signatories. Particulars of James Bicheno, whom he educated in botany, and details of their finding a plant later sent to Smith. Thanks for mention of himself in "Flora Britannica". Offers to send orchids.

After consultation with [Erik] Acharius he has arranged the collection of Lichens sent by Harriman: extensive notes on collection including determination and synonymy, with annotations by Smith, including comment on quality of [James] Dickson's specimens.

Has sent a parcel of Swedish lichens to Harriman in return, under care of Sir Joseph Banks. Responds to lichen queries in Harriman's previous letter.

Desiderata, in Smith's hand, of lichens and cryptogams.

Returns part of the original and sheets of the translation [of Linnaeus' Lapland travel journal, for Smith's "Lachesis Lapponica"]; explains his conventions.

Thanks for turkey. Agrees that Cuvier is highly deserving of becoming a FMLS but reminds him there is a limit of 50 FMLS. Queries Latin form of "habitat in Newfoundland" and "habitat in Long Island" for [Edward] Rudge's paper on American 'Carex' for "Linnean Transactions".

Pleased his translations [of Linnaeus' Lapland travel journal, for Smith's "Lachesis Lapponica"] meet with Smith's approval; now that he is finished can say he never had such a difficult task; left as much of the Latin as possible for Smith to translate. Recommends Tuneld's "Geography of Sweden", if it has been translated into English, to assist in identifying Linnaeus' locations, and De la Motrage's "Voyage"; Linnaeus' bad spelling has made the location names "quite intelligible".

Account of folios submitted and forthcoming, and bill owing to him; justifies his charges, currently standing at £82 3s 4d.

Pleased Troilius has finished translation [of Linnaeus' Lapland travel journal, for Smith's "Lachesis Lapponica"], hopes to prepare it for publication over the winter; finding the translation of the Latin troublesome. Doubts receiving even £80 from a bookseller for it but does not mean to deprive Troilius of his due. Relied on Troilius to correct the geographical locations in the work, but will insert a disclaimer in the preface.

Received Smith's letter of 29 August [1804]; will wait for payment for his translation [of Linnaeus' Lapland travel journal, for Smith's "Lachesis Lapponica"] until after Smith has heard from the booksellers. Sorry Smith has so much Latin left to translate. Defends his non-correction of the geographical words, having followed the same spelling as in the original, but offers to look over them before printing.

[Smith has briefly annotated his repsonse on second folio:] White [publisher] will pay Troilius his translation fees but requests a little indulgence with the money.

Except for Smith's communication and "a very absurd" paper on migration of birds by [John] Lyon there have been new new papers at last two meetings of Linnean Society, and they have nothing for the next meeting. Council meeting on Tuesday to discuss purchase of a house in Nassau Street. Knows nothing yet of Dr [William] Turton's [(1762-1835), conchologist] certificate but when it appears will speak out. Believes that any member who canvasses for blackballing a candidate after signing their certificate should be expelled from the Society; according to present regulations it now takes a third of members present to blackball a candidate.

Sends what he has so far written for the press of Linnaeus' Lapland tour ["Lachesis Lappoinca, or a Tour in Lapland" (1811)], and a few sheets of the original to give an idea of the figures; proposes having these traced to be engraved, as he is in constant need of the originals, having only the translation of the Swedish. Anxious to have something fixed as his translator, Carl Troilius, is expecting his payment of £60 by end of the year.

Thanks for notice of the £50, arrangements for transferring. Laments death of his "old friend" Lady Rockingham [Mary Watson-Wentworth].

Received Smith's letter; it will give him great pleasure to see Smith here, directions. Apologises for his blunder in naming 'Lichen varians' for 'L. varius'; [James] Dickson marked it 'L. varius'. Uncertain about his parasitic plant, which seems "materially different" from 'Vaccinium oxycoccos'; observations. Thanks for Smith's offer to fulfil his desiderata, remembers two years ago sending a list he concludes did not reach Smith. Pleased to hear third volume of "Flora Britannica" is likely to appear soon.

At length has gathered a parcel of willows to send Smith; apologises that so many are similar but finds himself much in the dark about 'Salix cinera', 'S. aquatica', and 'S. oleifolia'; Smith and [William Fitt] Drake to keep any they want, but asks Smith to return those he has no duplicates of, marked with letters. Observes that the the varities of shrub willows are so distinct that it will be necessary to describe them even if not noticed by preceeding authors; difficulty of defining specimens without necessary books.

List of willows sent, numbered and lettered, with habitats and brief observations; Smith has annotated some of the entries.

Sends local 'Salix' specimens which may not be in "Flora Britannica"; believes the genus deserves a separate treatise on account of their "very great oeconomical uses". Has studied the genus for 4 years but has been unable to fix their characters, which he leaves to Smith; explains his specimen notes [extant]. Requests cuttings of 'S. rubra', 'S. croweana', 'S. nigricans', 'S. petiolaris', and 'S. mollissima' [Smith annotation: "will send them, & others, also our 'fragilis'"]. Requests Smith's opinion on the specimens he has sent.

Numbered, detailed observations on 11 'Salix' specimens, with annotations by Smith [5 pp].

Disappointed to not go to Norwich but was too busy during his visit to Cambridge to get away. Met [Edward Daniel] Clarke who travelled with [John Marten] Cripps [(1780-1853), traveller and antiquary] to the Crimea, met [Peter Simon] Pallas and purchased his herbarium and brought back a vast natural history collection, describes it in some detail including bust of Ceres. Has heard that the drawing of Mars and Venus omitted in the prints of the "Elogium Stultitiae" is now engraved in Veaux's French translation of "Elogium" printed at Basel in 1780 [French translation of Erasmus' "The Praise of Folly"]. The [Dublin] Botanic Garden now has 6000 plants.

Sending American plants by Lady Holland; return of botanical expedition from colonies.

Thanks Smith for his letter regarding the "little 'Dianthus'", comments on how the blossoms sometimes abruptly close at mid-day. Sending specimen and seeds of a possibly new 'Astragalus' [Smith has annotated above "only 'pilosus'"], which [George] Don had preserved for himself, a living specimen has been sent to Sir Joseph Banks but it has not been acknowledged. Gives a brief description of the leaves.

Has been suffering from gout which has prevented him from perusing the third volume of "Flora Britannica" and Dawson Turner's "Muscologiae Hibernicae Spicilegium". Asks whether 'Verbascum phoeniceum' has ever been considered indigenous to Britain.

Pleased that Smith is to lecture at the Royal Institution: he is limited to ten lectures but everything else is Smith's decision. Past examples of payment options, with Mr Grave, "public curator of Oxford", who gave two courses of ten lectures on civil architecture received £50 for each, Mr Dalton of Manchester received nearly the same for the same amount of lectures on Natural Philosphy, whilst three London lecturers who have chosen courses of six lectures on history, belle-lettres, and painting will receive life subscriptions for themselves and their wives, valued at £40.

Encloses a list of desiderata. Smith has ticked those that he sent: 'Grimmia schisti', 'Grimmia crispula', 'Grimmia donniana', 'Dicranum suscescens', 'Dicranum polycarpum', 'Hypnum swartzii', and 'Hypnum stokesii'.

Thanks for Smith's letter. Gratified that Smith accepted the portrait of his father [Johann Hedwig (1730-1799)] he sent, his loss; pleased Smith is using his father's classification in describing the mosses in "Flora Britannica" vol 3. Intends to request moss specimens from [James] Dickson from his new work, for his own continuation of his father's work on mosses, though he is struggling to find a publisher. Offers to send Smith moss collection. Has written a book on ferns after microscopic studies of many genera; would like it to be published and engraved in Britain; requests Smith's assistance; offers to send paper on ferns for Linnean Society.