Asks Smith to review last sheet of his manuscript [on pines], notes that the appendix and plate of 'Dacrydium' is also ready for Smith, particularly wishes to know what Smith thought of his writing on 'Cupressus pendula' of [Carl Peter] Thunberg. Plants from Lord Seaforth's collection coming into flower including a 'Commersonia'. Shortly visiting the Marquess of Bath [Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath (1765-1837)] at Longleat, [Somerset]. The Marchioness of Bath extremely interested in botany and is teaching it to her son. Has been exploring tumuli with Sir Richard Hoare, who is to publish "An account of Antient [sic] Wiltshire". Received letter from [Jacques-Julien de] Labillardière saying he is sending specimens of his New Holland [Australia] plants.

No longer needs Smith to correct the last sheets of his work [on pines]. Received [Alexander von] Humboldt's "Travels in South America", several "Annals of the Museum" with interesting papers by Corrêa [de Serra] on carpology, and a number of Humboldt's "Plantes Equin[octiales]" with figure on the Brazil nut, 'Bertholletia excelsa'. In his "Travels" gives an account of the 'Cusparia febrifuga' which produces the "Angustura bark of the shops", also figured in ["Plantae Aequinoctiales"]. In postcript "I see your friend [Richard Salisbury] has not forgot you in his last number of Para[disus Londinensis]".

This letter is in two parts with Lambert's letter on both folios and Jackson's on recto of the second folio.

Lambert writes: Lord Valentia [George Annesley] giving the manuscript [of his "Voyages and travels"] to the printer. Smith's paper on 'Vitellus' read at Linnean Society. Gives an update on "our worthy friend Alias [Richard Salisbury]" who has sold Mill Hill and moved to town. A dispute between Salisbury and Evans entailing them both going to Bow Street for redress. Examined [Robert] Brown's New Holland [Australia] plants. Has read Smith's account of [Peter] Collinson [(1694-1768), presumably biographical memoir that appears in Smith's "Selection of the Correspondence of Linnaeus" (1821)]. 'Heritiera allughas' Retz. in flower, believes it the first to raised in England. In postcript says Salisbury has left his card but states he shall not return his own.

Jackson writes: Lambert has determined Smith's 'Blygonum' to be 'Setorum' of Jacquin, details of determination.

Working with London College of Physicians revising their Pharmacopoeia, queries botanical names with Smith: discusses different specimens of 'Melaleuca leucadendra' sent by Christopher Smith [(d 1807) East India Company botanist], from one of which cajeput oil is obtained; whether officinal juice is obtained from 'Aconitum napellus' or 'Aconitum neomontanum' of [Carl Ludwig] Willdenow; whether Smith has given a trivial name to the 'Alpinia' which yields cardamom; unsure whether the fruit of 'Laurus nobilis' is a bacca or drupa; and terminology for describing hops. Smith has annotated brief responses to each query.

Has named 'Malaleuca cajuputi'. Lack of papers at Linnean Society for reading at meetings. Smith's paper on the vitellus of seeds well regarded. Reading Smith's latest publication ["Introduction to Botany"], asks when an English "Lachesis Lapponica" is to be published.

Introduces Mr Sozzi, a friend of his who will be travelling in England, and will give Smith two books for the Royal Society.

Received Smith's letter of 30 April 1800 together with Smith's "publications and plants of New Holland", had given up expecting them. Encloses a duplicate of his previous letter of 14 October 1806, which accompanies a parcel of plants [see RelatedMaterial below]. Received Mr Kindersley's letter, shall reply when books for the female asylum arrive.

Sends list of New Holland [Australian] plants he received from Labillardière [not extant], requests any specimens Smith can add. Sends a sample of velvet woven in colours, capable of replicating portraits and other subjects, from a technique devised by Gregoire in Paris, it is superior to Mr Town of New Bond Street's similar product. Overwhelmed by reading Smith's "Introduction to Botany", corrects Smith's pronounciation of "Holmskiöldiaf" in same.

Received Smith's letter of 15 October [1806]. Sorry that he could not send Smith cuttings of 'Salix phylicifolia' and 'Salix sphacetata' as the place he got them from for [John] Lightfoot has since been cleared and ploughed. Has sent Smith a box of doubtful specimens including 'Salix' and other plants, listed: 'Salix myrsinites' Linnaeus and Lightfoot; undetermined 'Salix'; 'Salix fusca'; 'Salix arbuscula'; 'Salix lapponum'; 'Salix raticulata'; possible 'Salix incubacea'; 'Arbutus alpinus'; 'Erica dabaecia'; 'Azalea procumbens'; 'Rubus arcticus'; 'Cornus suecica'; 'Carex atrata'; '[Festuca calamaria]'; 'Acrostichum ilvense'; and 'Lycopodium inundatum'. Glad that Smith has principal charge of publishing of "Flora Graeca". His home and family life.

Sending this letter and enclosed specimens via [James] Sowerby, contains 'Grimmia nigritia', 'G. inclanata', 'G. schisti', 'Bryum gulaium' and 'Bartramia alpina'. Also encloses mosses, a 'Lichen', and a grass found in the white mine near Forfar [Smith annotation: "'Aira caespitosa'"] in 1807. Intends to undertake botanical excursion to the Cairngorns and Clova Mountains soon, but is unsure whether to collect for Sowerby, having heard nothing from him about previous specimens. Requests seeds of 'Felia muscosa' and 'Limosella aquatica'. Requests Smith's opinion on these and previous specimens.

Observations on the two kinds of 'Dianthus' termed by gardeners "pink & carnation"; argues that they are not both 'Caryophyllus', as Smith determines them in "Flora Britannica", and proposes 'Caryophyllus' and 'Hortensis'; provides characters with three small ink sketches of plant details.

Criticises tendency for botanists to determine a plant at first glance without investigating its characteristics or examining whether existing descriptions are correct, so that incorrect specific distinctions are copied from edition to edition, even though they are useless for identification purposes.

[Note at head verso of first folio: "Read Dec. 15 1807"]

Has not received the plants Smith mentioned in his last letter. Has sent the requested 'Lichen' specimens, did not want to send them before completing his "Lichenographia universalis", now printing; collection now contains almost 900 specimens, will send more as occasion arises. [Heinrich] Schrader thinks the new lichen work "definitive". Also enclosing letter and parcel for Dawson Turner.

Discusses 'Dianthus caryophyllus' and proposes two additions to Smith's description of the genus, being 'caryophyllus' and 'hortensia', with three small sketches in pen illustrating his argument. Justifies his course of study.

Unable to give Mr Patterson any information regarding the state of George III's flock of merino sheep. Had recommended to the King [George III (1738-1820)] for a ram to be sold for 25 guineas, a "fine wooled sheep". The King's flock of the negretti strain of Spain, "finer than the original flock". One ram castrated this year because of a few "king hairs" in his wool but has not had one other sheep that did not pass the judgement of the wool-stapler, who annually examines each sheep.

Friendly criticism of Smith's book; wonders whether he relied too much on [Erasmus] Darwin who was "too poetical to be correct" and [William] Forsyth who was "too cunning" to be quite so pure as Smith supposes him. Pleased to hear that the second fasiculum of "Flora Graeca" is to be printed soon. Genus 'Silene' has always been obscure and remarks on this subject will be welcome.

Assures Smith that he does not think ill of him if they differ in opinion. Relates a series of experiments with peach, cherry and pear trees for investigating [William] Forsyth's claim for regenerating old trees with his "plaster", at the request of George III. Asks whether in the Norfolk dialect a turkey's nest is called her "rip".

Thanks for books. Plants wanted by the Empress.

Smith has drafted his reply on recto of second folio: thanks for books. Apologises as he can no longer send the Empress any seeds or plants. Sends his "Exotic Botany" nos. 2 to 23 and "Introduction to Botany", including a copy for Broussonet, and six ferns from Botany Bay, [Australia]: 'Lindsaea microphylla', 'Lindsaea linearis', 'Darea' nov. sp., 'Marattia' nov. sp., 'Schizaea bifida', and 'Woodwardia caudata'. Asks if they knew each other in Paris in 1786 or 1787.

Sending continuation of his "Historia lichenum tinctor. Svec."; [Olof] Swartz has already sent two installments; publication plans for remainder of work. News of [Erik] Acharius and Swartz.

Regrets the "gross prurience of Linnaeus's mind" as seen in the several genera of 'Testacea' and the "vulgar lasciviousness" of 'Clitoria'. Considers Linnaeus' reasons for choosing the latter name 'Clitoria' and concludes that a literal translation of the first principle of Linnaean botany would "shock female modesty" and it is possible that many virtuous students might not be able to make out the similitude of 'Clitoria'. The name, like 'Chenopodium vulvaria', is "disgusting and horrid". Does not look at [Richard] Salisbury's publications and has not discussed anything with him since he and [Jonas] Dryander contended with his renaming 'Erica', including changing 'Erica tetralix' to 'Erica botuliformis' - sausage-shaped 'Erica'.

Admires Dawson Turner and asks Smith to thank him for his letter on '[Fucus] discors' and '[Fucus] abrotanifolius', hopes he and Smith will work out the essential difference between the two. [William] Hudson's specimen of '[Fucus] abrotanifolius' in his possession is the same as all the specimens found by Mrs [Ameila Warren] Griffiths [(1768-1858), algologist].

Account of his attempts to clear the Salisbury-Smith dispute whilst sitting as vice-president at Linnean Society: [William George] Maton excused himself from allowing Salisbury's pamphlet ["Generic characters of English Botany"] into the Linnean Society by pleading ignorance; told Salisbury at Sir Joseph Banks' that he was wrong to make the Linnean Society the arena for his and Smith's dispute and that the pamphlet should be withdrawn, to which he initially agreed and then reneged, Salisbury then gave him the roots of 'Crocus aureus' and seeds of a 'Dahlia'; attempted expunge the pamphlet from the Society with a Council but could not form one; [Alexander] Macleay has left the pamphlet out of the list of donations to the Society. Sorry to see that Salisbury has so many papers in the new "Linnean Transactions" volume but enjoyed [Thomas] Rackett and Maton's paper on British shells.

Was in London "when the explosion took place with respect to the late Ministers" [the "Ministry of All the Talents", a national unity government which was formed in February 1806 and broke up in March 1807 over Catholic Emancipation], the King [George III (1738-1820)] is "conscientious on the matter" and "would die before he consented to the giving of power to the R[oman] Catholics". [Jonas] Dryander has said both Smith and Salisbury have behaved badly, but Salisbury much the worse. Sees that Norwich has got rid Dr L Adkins, never could bear him.