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Explains serious illness as reason for lack of scientific activity. Asks JSH for a list of required plants and plans to find specimens from Yorkshire. Requests rare orchid specimens from Cambridge region.
Trivia about life in Dawlish [letter completed 1827-8-31].
Is sailing for Buenos Ayres in a few days' time. Would like to thank JH for his kindness; would also like to see him, if convenient, before he departs.
Has received the actinometer safely by the hand of Mr. De Lavigne, also the instructions. Hopes to use it in the Alps, and will send some observations. De Lavigne was enchanted with England.
Renders an accounting of expenses for optical goods received from Germany.
Lacks information on Augustin Fresnel. Praises JH's drawing as rendering unnecessary annexing one to his paper. Has not yet unpacked the new telescope sent by John Ramage.
Hopes to meet JH in London, and to finish building for R.S.L. soon. Discusses various prisms for experiments. Mentions 'neat' process for drawing uranium from iron.
Thanks JH for sending his second catalog of double stars; remarks that 'by the manner in which you gentlemen now attack the starry heavens, it seems that there will soon remain nothing to be discovered.'
Is sorry to hear the distressing news. Offers suggestions to relieve Charles Babbage of his sorrows.
Will be traveling to Hampshire. Agrees with Richard Sheepshanks over the papers on the Comet. Hopes JH will be able to visit him in Hampshire. Remarks on J. B. Delambre's History of Astronomy.
Thanks WT for optical equipment sent. Notes death of Augustin Fresnel. Has purchased a telescope from James South.
Has been trying to see him, unsuccessfully, about the affairs of the Optical Glass Committee. Hopes that JH will not resign from the Committee now that he is no longer Secretary at the R.S.L.
Condolences on death of Mr Reeve. His botanical work ["Mondandrian Plants"] drawing to conclusion, 12 numbers of expected 15 or 16 published; satisfied with its reception but wishes he had published a larger number. Pleased Smith approves the generic character of 'Matonia', it is nearest allied to 'Roscoea'. Convinced that the 'Cardamom' plant of the east and the 'Renealmia' plant of the west are of the same genus and suggests 'Matonia' for them.
Regrets the only two plants he has not obtained living flowers of are 'Costus speciosus' and 'Alpinia malaccensis', though he has introduced the latter to the [Liverpool] Botanic Garden and area; asks permission to republish Smith's figure of 'C. speciosus'. His acknowledgments for 'Roscoea' will appear with the account of the genus when the work is bound.
Pestered with many letters, Roscoe's excepted. After returning to Norwich he will spend a fortnight finishing fourth volume of "English Flora", interrupted by Muscial Festival, and ending with a trip to Holkham where they expect to see Roscoe; he does not want to go later and encounter shooting parties and hopes to meet "a most amiable & accomplished young man of fortune, Mr Edw[ar]d Lombe, MP" [(1799-1852), landowner and philanthropist], who longs to know Roscoe.
Pleased Roscoe's ["Monandrian Plants"] has succeeded so well. Agrees with the character of 'Matonia' but discusses difficulty of establishing it over the 'Renealmia' established by Linnaeus, which he thought an 'Alpinia', and the new 'Renealmia' established by [Robert] Brown. Rejoices that in parting with 'Matonia' they can also legally get rid of 'Elettaria'; Decandolle, "with all his wrong-headed zeal", will not attempt to uphold this, though 'Elettaria' is an old name as he professes to keep all of Linnaeus' names, as 'Renealmia' is.
Thanks for Roscoe's sympathies. Suffering from rheumatism in his eyes, as last winter. Must soon continue work on "Flora Graeca". Never published a figure of 'Costus speciosus', though Jacquin has it in his "Icones [plantarum rariorum]", and he published the characters in "Linnean Transactions" vol 1[see RelatedMaterial below]. Roscoe's gardeners will make 'Costus speciosus' and 'Alpinia malaccensis' flower with great heat, drought, or starvation.
Accepts his prospective appointment [as vice-president of Linnean Society] with some trepidation. Glad to hear of the additions of 'Woodia' and 'Ophrys' to "The English Flora" which are new to him, had previously heard of the 'Isnardia' from others. Still unsatisfied with 'Aspidium' and 'Nephrodium'. Currently engaged in examining particles of "faville".
Account of a visit to Devon. Read of death of the Bishop [of Carlisle, Samuel Goodenough]; suggests [Robert] Brown as new vice-president for Linnean Society. Hopes Smith received specimen of 'Tinardia palustris'. Plants collected in Devon, including: 'Scirpus holoschoenus', 'Salix argentia', and 'Viola lutea'. Also found 'Senecio squalidus'; reasons for believing it is native, discusses Dr [William] Turton [(1762-1835), conchologist].