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JH's friend Dr. J. C. Whitfield was elected organist this morning. He himself is suffering with the jaundice. Anxious to hear of Sir William's health. Does not know anyone near Lichfield.
Has received the visitation letter. Work is progressing on the twenty-foot telescope. Hopes to leave for Devon soon. Places he would like to visit. Hopes CB is well versed in geology.
Humphry Davy has been canvassing. Has several Cornish introductions. Would like to visit South Wales.
Reports recent eclipse observations around the world.
JW was elected Hereford cathedral organist. Thanks JH for letter of support and gift of poetry. Bishop promised to arrange JW's quick release from Cambridge duties. Vice-Chancellor ruled in JW's favor in case with Mrs. Deacon.
FB's observations. Happy to become associate of new Astronomical Society. Discusses observations of Halley's Comet by James Bradley and Nathaniel Bliss.
Asks WH to contribute to a fund to place a bust of Edward Troughton in Greenwich Observatory. Introduces himself to WH.
Has received letter of 3 June 1820 reporting on the new circle at Göttingen Observatory. Will read it to the Astronomical Society and propose CG as associate. Sends some JH publications.
Would like him to come to dinner next Saturday.
Visiting Lord Mountnorris [George Annesley], who is anxious to correspond with Roscoe and [John] Shepherd [(c 1764-1836, curator Liverpool Botanic Garden] and have them visit his botanic garden; Mountnorris has a large collection of hardy and other plants not at Liverpool, but lacks 'Scitamineae', so it could be a mutually beneficial correspondence, in addition he corresponds with [Nathaniel] Wallich and has excellent plants from Brazil, including 'Orchideae'. Mountnorris has sent, for Roscoe's examination and use, drawings made for him by Indian artists on banks of the Gogra in Lucknow, on the frontiers of Nepal, including 'Zingiber', 'Alpinia' and 'Matonia'. Wishes that a new 'Scitamineae' genus could be found to be named 'Anneslaea'.
Having looked over the specimens obtained from India House has come to the conclusion that the most scientifically useful purpose would be to publish a commentaries on the "Hortus Malabaricus" and "Flora Amboinensis", details how he would go about this. Will start immediately if suitable for publication in "Linnean Transactions", with a supplement of the drawings from Mysore left with Smith and from Ava, Burma, given to Sir Joseph Banks. Drawings of 'Scitamineae' and Orchides have been lost by the Marquees of Hastings [Francis Edward Rawdon-Hastings (1754-1826) Governor-General of India, 1813-1823]. Requests Smith's opinion on this and whether it should be published all in Latin, or the commentary in English and the descriptive parts in Latin, as [Robert] Brown did in his treatise on the compositae in volume 12 of "Linnean Transactions".
Married [Mary] Hardcastle on 3 July, a piece of wedding cake was sent to Smith. An account of the courtship, beginning with their first acquaintance in 1811, credits her mother with teaching him botany and leading him to appreciate literature, and account of his abortive attempt to return to America and devote himself solely to the study of botany.
Informs Smith of his marriage [to Mary Hardcastle, daughter of Lucy Hardcastle]; sends piece of wedding cake.
Thanks for Smith's letter of 13 [July 1820]; several of his friends have expressed the wish to which Smith alludes but many reasons induce him to decline [possibly an invitation to become Honorary Member of the Linnean Society following deaths of Sir Joseph Banks and Brownlow North, Bishop of Winchester].
The Prince de Butera, a Sicilian nobleman, desires to be an honorary member of the Linnean Society. Informed by the Prince of a good botanic garden at Palermo, Sicily, comments on complete disorder of Naples. Has not yet met [Michele] Tenore but he is publishing a "Crambe recota" of indiginous and foreign plants cultivated in his garden. Petayna, [Vincenzo ?] Stellati [(1780-1852)] and [Vincenzo ?] Briganti [(1766-1836)] are the only naturalists of note in his location and nothing is published. Has found 'Ophrys speculum' and 'Ophrys distoma' of Bivona. Recommends a "Flora of Rome" published by Sebastiani and Mauri. Difficulties of establishing botany; part of the garden at Farnesina has been given over for a botanic garden but not the means of putting it in order, when in England even Bury St Edmunds has one. Has collected around 2000 insects, comments on slow progress of entomology and implores [William] Kirby, [William] Spence [(c 1783-1860)], [Thomas] Marsham and McLane to rectify this. Laments death of Sir Joseph Banks. Feels secure "though living in the midst of a revolution" [failed 1820 movement against Bourbon government], comments on the "attention paid to public security".