Argues that neither CB nor his friends should in any way act to create difficulty at future R.S.L. meetings, as that will allow those attacked to resign with dignity. Rather elect someone else at the next anniversary meeting.
Understands his intellectual pursuits. Gives address of his son [Adelaide].
Announcement of Baden Powell's election to the Savillian chair of Geometry.
Regarding various publications for distribution.
Asks DB to sign a certificate for the candidature of William Ritchie for admission to R.S.L.
Further regarding his theory of measuring heights by means of the barometer.
The state of the observatory after the death of Giuseppe Piazzi. Has been put on a permanent basis now. Instruments and books have been received. Send some mainsprings for the chronometers.
Asks WW to sign a certificate on behalf of the election of [William] Ritchie to the R.S.L. and to ask Adam Sedgwick to sign also.
Regarding the affairs of the R.S.L. and JH's intentions.
Sends his reasons for not writing. Includes results of his readings of Etna and observations of the comet.
Some R.S.L. business matters.
Will do all he can to satisfy Smith with Cape 'Orchideae'. Has a young artist to make painting from live specimens, sending figure of 'Disperis villosa' [extant]. Believes a "very splendid" work could be made from having a painting of every Cape species in full flower, with Smith being sent dried specimens to provide full descriptions from; difficulty of transporting live plants back to England.
Has sent promised papers to Sir Everard Home [(1756-1832), physician] describing new species each of 'Hyaena' and 'Hyrax'; observations on gland secretions of former; hopes Home will send them to Linnean Society and that they will be published in "Linnean Transactions". It is his ambition to produce a good work on zoology of South Africa. Many collectors currently here: 3 from Prussia, 3 from France, and 6 from other European countries. Lists some of the curiosities of his portfolio; he is particularly interested in snakes. Mode natural history is now studied makes it easier to notice habits of animals for classification.
Watercolour of 'Disperis villosa'.
Encloses a paper on Junius [pseudonym of an unknown 18th century letter writer]. Has been collecting information about Dr Samuel Parr, enquires whether Smith or any friends of his have any letters from him or information about him they can share for a memoir to be written by Dr John Johnstone. Barker's index to the "Greek Thesaurus" is far advanced. Mr Bowring has informed him that Jeremy Bentham intends to give him a memoir of Mr Lind, "author of the letters on Poland", for use in his book which is nearly finished.
Sending plants collected during 3 month excursion with [George] Bentham in summer of 1825 to eastern and high Pyrenees; Bentham has published catalogue of the flora of Pyrenees. Plants sent include: 'Lithospermum oleifolium'; 'Vicia argentea'; 'Seseli montanum'; asks if 'Cynoglossum sylvaticum' of England is same as that of Hancke; asks the true character between 'Sideritis hyssopifolia' and 'Sideritis scordioides'; 'Veronica fruticulosa'; after observations fears 'Ajuga alpina', 'A. geneventis', and 'A. pyramidalis' form one species; 'Orobanche pruinosa'; at Strasbourg determined that 'Potamogeton cuspidatum' gathered near Forfar is identical with 'P. zosterifolius' Schum; observations on all. Smith may find it useful to have the French synonyms for British species; he would have found it useful to have references given to DeCandolle's works in determining Pyrenee plants.
Thanks for turkey. The Duke of York in "the last stage of a hopeless case" [Prince Frederick (1763-1827), died 5 January 1827 of dropsy and apparent cardio-vascular disease]. Dares not mention the name he alluded to as the matter is not followed up, but it begins with an "H" [presumably the scandal involving a member of the Athenaeum mentioned in Goodenough's previous letter].